New Orleans Magazine December 2013 by Renaissance Publishing

December 2013 VOLUME 48 NUMBER 3 Editor Errol Laborde Managing Editor Morgan Packard Art Director Eric Gernhauser Associate Editors Haley Adams and

Lauren LaBorde Contributing Editor Liz Scott Monaghan Food Editor Dale Curry Dining Editor Jay Forman Wine and Spirits Editor Tim McNally Restaurant Reporter Robert Peyton Home and Garden Editor Bonnie Warren Interns Paige Nulty and Lexi Wangler SALES MANAGER Shannon Smith Senior Account ExecutiveS Jonée Daigle Ferrand,

Erica Northcott Adams Account Executives

Erin Fontenot, Maegan O’Brien, Elizabeth Schindler Sales Assistant Erin Maher Azar Web/Production Manager Staci Woodward McCarty Production Designers Sarah George, Antoine Passelac Web Editor Haley Adams Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive VICE PRESIDENT/Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde Executive Assistant Kristi Ferrante Distribution Manager Christian Coombs SUBSCRIPTIONS Erin Duhe

WYES DIAL 12 STAFF (504) 486-5511 Executive Editor Beth Arroyo Utterback Managing Editor Aislinn Hinyup Associate Editor Robin Cooper Art Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo

NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE Printed in USA A Publication of Renaissance Publishing 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 Subscription Hotline:

(504) 828-1380 ext. 251 or fax: (504) 828-1385

Online at www.MyNewOrleans.com

National Award Winner “Streetcar” by Errol Laborde, 1st Place Winner, Columns Category City & Regional Magazine Association 2013 New Orleans Magazine (ISSN 0897 8174) is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC., 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 8281380. Subscription rates: one year $19.95; Mexico, South America and Canada $48; Europe, Asia and Australia $75. An associate subscription to New Orleans Magazine is available by a contribution of $40 or more to WYES-TV/Channel 12, $10.00 of which is used to offset the cost of publication. Also available electronically, on CD-ROM and on-line. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2012 New Orleans Magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark New Orleans and New Orleans Magazine are registered. New Orleans Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in New Orleans Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazine managers or owners.

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CONTENTS 12.13 VOL. 48 NO. 3

BEST OF DINING PAGE

FEATURES 88 Best of DINING In which we select the tops from a year of a few small steps backward and many great leaps forward. by Jay Forman, Tim McNally and Robert Peyton LORDS OF THE RING PAGE

102

100 I, Bingle Confessions of a department store snowman by Peter Reichard 102 Lords of the Ring Boxing in New Orleans by S. Derby Gisclair

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 14 16 18 135 136 4

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INSIDE Letters speaking out Editorial, plus a Mike Luckovich cartoon JULIA STREET Questions and answers about our city Try This “A Day in the Sweet Life” STREETCAR “Christmas in Bastogne”

ON THE COVER Chef of the Year Michael Stoltzfus (GREG MILES PHOTOGRAPH)

PERSONA PAGE

EDUCATION PAGE

CONTENTS

CRIME FIGHTING PAGE

THE BEAT 24 26 30 32 36 40 42

MARQUEE Entertainment calendar PERSONA Singer and bassist, Benny Grunch newsbeat “Milne Boys Home’s Redevelopment” Biz “‘Better Half’ or Have-nots?” Education Not everyone is happy that “Schools are Improving” HEALTH Hangover cures from around the world HEALTHBEAT The latest news in health from New Orleans and beyond 44 Crime Fighting “The Legacy of Baby Quinton” 48 newsbeat “Plugging the ‘Retail Leakage’”

LOCAL COLOR 50 54 55 58 60 62 64 66

THE SCOOP “The Resurrection of Reveillon” music Music as a Gift Read & Spin A look at the latest CDs and books CAST OF CHARACTERS “A Man and His Hearse” MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS “Sweating Over Christmas Sweaters” Joie d’Eve “Yes, I Am Still Nursing” CHRONICLES New Orleanians treasure their Christmas trees HOME An English Turn home with many chapters on Christmas

CHRONICLES PAGE

THE MENU 70 72 74 78 80

table talk “Lower Magazine: Where cultures intersect” restaurant insider “Marti’s, Domenica on Magazine and More” FOOD Cooking for the Holidays LAST CALL Folk Charm DINING GUIDE

DIAL 12 D1 ’Tis the season to celebrate with WYES! Familiar faces, classic stories and brilliant voices are just some of the gifts from PBS this year. Spend the holidays with your favorite PBS personalities – from the Cat in the Hat to Dowager Countess of Grantham – and sing your way into the New Year with special programs brimming with holiday music. 6

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LAST CALL PAGE

IN SID E

Boudin Balls

that

ha v e

been

many

cocktail parties recently, but there have been two where among the items served was boudin balls. On both occasions I was excited to take one, which usually comes with a sauce on the side for dipping; on both occasions I was disappointed. They weren’t bad. They just weren’t special. If they had a taste it was more like deep-fried pork-flavored air – not the savory country sausage. This made me wonder: Should there be boudin balls at all? Not only is it relatively recently that boudin in any form has made its way into cocktail parties, it’s really fairly new as a city food. I remember boudin as a kid, but only from visiting relatives in the outback. Rather than being factory produced, the sausage, which consists of ground pork, seasonings and rice, was made by local folks working in a backyard as part of a boucherie. After they killed a hog, different foods were made from different parts. The lady who stuffed the boudin into a skin might be working next to the hogshead cheese maker. Boudin balls! It seems too corporate – too much like something that came from a marketing department rather than a meat grinder. It isn’t that I’m adamantly opposed to the dish, which now has the uppity status of being an hors d’oeuvre, its just that it doesn’t seem right – like someone making crawfish ice cream. (Please don’t.) Which raises the question: If a party-giver likes boudin so much, why not serve the real thing? Why not buy some links, put them in the oven, cut them into toothpick-ready pieces, and serve – no sauces needed? There will be less deep-fried air and more meat and spices. If boudin has come to the city, city folks deserve the real thing – at least while they’re waiting for cracklin’ cupcakes.

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On The Web Check Out Happy Hour on Wednesdays New Orleans Magazine’s Wine and Spirits Editor Tim McNally writes a weekly blog, Happy Hour, for MyNewOrleans.com. The blog is updated every Wednesday. Visit MyNewOrleans.com/HappyHour for the latest posts.

Try Some “Lost Recipes” Like to cook? Check out the “Lost Recipes of Acadiana” from the latest issue of our sister publication, Acadiana Profile. The recipes, including a few submitted by readers, can be found at AcadianaProfile.com.

Read Our Digital Editions If you ever forget your copy of New Orleans Magazine, head to MyNewOrleans.com to read our digital edition. You can flip through the pages of the free digital format, whether you’re on your desktop or tablet. Visit MyNewOrleans.com/DigitalEditions to access all of Renaissance Publishing’s digital editions.

facebook.com/NewOrleansMagazine

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LETTERS

A Big Victory

Re: “Jays and Tigers: 50 years ago they battled for a state title,” by George Gurtner. Characters column, October 2013 issue. I just had the opportunity to read George Gurtner’s write up about the Jesuit-Holy Cross game. It was really well done, and like so many, brought back some great memories. I had the honor of coaching in nine of those games (three as a Jesuit assistant under Ken Tarzetti and Ray Coates; six as the head coach of Holy Cross). Each of those games brings back memories of pep rallies and alums. My favorite story was in 1980, defeating the Jays in the Superdome. After the game someone from Holy Cross walked up to me and shook hands and proceeded to put four $100 dollar bills in my hand, and said take the team out to eat. We wasted no time in doing that. On the way back to school on St. Claude Avenue, I had the team buses stop at the Popeyes on the corner of Elysian Fields and St. Claude Avenue, and had the team get out and order chicken dinners. All 80 players in full uniform! No question that game is very special to many, many people. Thanks again for keeping it alive. Henry Rando, Longtime New Orleans and Jefferson high school coach New Orlean s

Ed. Response: Thanks for the story, Coach. And Holy Cross’ biggest victory was yet to come: That was its renaissance after Katrina.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Send letters to New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Fax to (504) 828-1385 or e-mail to errol@myneworleans.com. Please include your daytime phone number for verification. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity.

DECEMBER 2013

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SPEAKING OUT

Rolling the Presses: The Year the News Environment Changed here

are

some

cities

that

are

one - newspaper

towns. There are others that are two-newspaper towns. In terms of daily home deliveries, New Orleans enters the New Year as a oneand-three-sevenths-newspaper town. As always, things are different down here. We begin 2014 experiencing a news media environment that has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. That is true globally as it is locally; it’s just that in New Orleans the changes are more dramatic. It all started with the Newhouse chain’s ham-fisted reduction of The TimePicayune. Such cutbacks have happened in other markets but never have they been answered by a newspaper coming into town, setting up shop, hiring former staff members of the former daily and becoming the new daily. While some cities are seeing newspapers retreat, we’re experiencing a newspaper war. From that situation a hybrid evolved that’s relatively new to local coverage: print/television partnerships. Now we’re seeing shared bylines and joint reporting between WVUE-TV Ch. 8 and The Times-Picayune as well as WWL-TV Ch. 4 and The New Orleans Advocate. This is a positive in news coverage since each medium delivers a story in a different way. Television can provide the headlines and quick summary; newspapers can flesh out the details and provide graphs and other forms of visual support. A manifestation of this appeared in November when WVUE and The Times-Picayune presented a multipart series on political campaign contributions. Reporter Lee Zurik told the story on television while the T-P’s Manuel Torres spelled out the details in print, aided by charts that showed who was whom and who was giving what. (Ironically, the visualization of the details underscored why broadsheet newspapers are still important. No web-based carrier could be as effective.) Under new owner John Georges, the Baton Rouge-based Advocate rebranded its local edition during the year and added New Orleans not just to its name but also to its content. With its core staff of former T-P talent, The New Orleans Advocate has become

DECEMBER 2013

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a good newspaper. Television news will also be enriched by having access to newspaper reporters, many who are specialists in particular beats. As for the Internet – we’ll learn more in the New Year. It is no doubt an important source of headline news but not the place to go for analysis and details. While The Times-Picayune had an absolute monopoly as a newspaper, its offshoot, NOLA.com, though well used, will not likely maintain such a hold. There are too many other contenders including television, competing websites and even traditional non-news sources, such as government agencies providing information. A person with a smartphone is now likely to find out about a crime or street closing from the police department before they hear from a news outlet. When the Newhouses swung their axe in New Orleans they said that news coverage would improve. That may be the case, not because of them but because the city stood up to them. That in itself is a story worth telling.

AN ORIGINAL ©MIKE LUCKOVICH CARTOON FOR NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

JULIA STREET

W IT H P O Y D R AS THE PARROT

T H E P U R S U IT T O A N S W E R E T E R N A L Q U E STI O N S

A fixture on Airline Highway the LaPlace Dragway held twice-monthly races for nearly 28 years.

Dear Julia, Before my brother and I came along, our parents used to enjoy going to the drag races in LaPlace. Mom especially liked the “funny cars,” the ones that reared up as they took off. It has been about 30 years or so since the track closed and I’m not sure how long it had been in business. Do you know when it was established or why it closed? Kevin Schmidt N ew O rle a ns

Touted as “the South’s finest dragway,” the LaPlace Dragway opened for business on Sun., May 6, 1962. Gates opened at 8 a.m. while the race card began at 1 p.m. Races were held twice monthly – on the first and third 18

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Sunday of each month. On Sept. 8, 1963, 28-yearold Robert Lee “Bob” Lace of Dallas was fatally injured at the speedway. While running time trials, Lace lost control of a Class AA dragster owned by Ray Austin of Hurst, Texas. The last checkered flag came down at the LaPlace Dragway on March 23, 1980. N.G. Pearah, who had owned and operated the track since the mid-’70s, had planned to expand the successful venture, but the real estate market had changed a great deal since the drag strip’s early days. When asked to renew the 35-acre site’s 10-year lease, Pearah declined, pointing out that residential subdivisions

encroached on the once-rural property, leaving no room for future track expansion. An Airline Highway fixture for nearly 28 years, the dragway then closed and the site was listed for sale. At the time, Pearah was searching for a new location for the track and

was hoping to acquire for that purpose more than 100 acres near Slidell. Dear Julia. Freitag’s bakery on Galvez Street and Tulane Avenue, now long-gone, used to make fabulous Russian Cake, which

Win a Court of Two Sisters Jazz Brunch Here is a chance to eat, drink and listen to music, and have your curiosity satiated all at once. Send Julia a question. If we use it, you’ll be eligible for a monthly drawing for one of two Jazz Brunch gift certificates for two at The Court of Two Sisters in the Vieux Carré. To take part, send your question to: Julia Street, c/o New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 or email: Errol@MyNewOrleans.com. This month’s winners are: Allison Hannington, New Orleans.; and Lisa Schewe, New Orleans.

R ichard J ody L e v atino photo G R A P H

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DECEMBER 2013

my grandparents pronounced ROOSH-en even though they said RUSH-en when they were talking about the country or its people. I recall Russian Cake as being dense and moist. It was a sheet cake and was always tinted red and had white icing and colored nonpareils on the top. It may have had jam or rum in it. It is rare to see Russian Cake these days, but years ago every neighborhood bakery seemed to have its own version of this old New Orleans favorite. Can you tell me about this traditional local treat? Ed Scurror

or stale cakes and crumble them up, mixing the crumbs with thinned fruit jelly, and sometimes other flavorings such as rum and anise. The moistened leftovers were then pressed under heavy weights until they set. Unless someone has ready access to an industrial kitchen, massive amounts of leftover cake and heavy weights that can be left in place overnight, it’s probably more practical for them to seek out ready-made Russian Cake than try to make it at home.

R i ver R idg e

Dear Julia and Poydras: Love your articles and love your magazine! Look forward to it every month. Please keep up the good work. Being a part-time Ventura County resident (where Perry Mason’s creator practiced law before retiring to Temecula), as well as a crossword aficionado, I feel it my duty to point out the recent misspelling of

As early as the 1910s and ’20s, local bakeries, such as Odenwald and Gros, were selling Russian Cake. The reason why the cake often seemed to vary, even when made by the same bakery, was that its ingredients varied each time it was made. Bakeries would gather together their unsold

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Mr. Gardiner’s first name, Erle. Julia, you may blame it all on Poydras, whom I’m sure made the error after a couple of beaks full of demon rum. By the way, if Poydras feels like trading in rum for tequila, and is up to flying west as far as California, I would be happy to put him up and introduce him to Casper, the cockatoo at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. I am certain the two of them could get into all sorts of mischief, flirting with the bikini-clad females at the pool and such. Lisa Schewe New Orleans

Good news Lisa, Poydras has accepted your invitation. He plans to arrive at your house Christmas morning, in time for dinner, and to stay until Mardi Gras. (Which is late next year.) He hopes to have recovered from his latest bout of influenza by the time he gets to California, but he says he’s coming anyway. He

asks that you please have an inhaler available. Yes, it’s “Erle.” Thanks for setting us straight but I don’t think alcohol was involved. The inadvertent error most likely resulted from the problem Poydras has whenever he tries to touch-type and gets his talons caught in the keyboard. He is much better at “hunt and peck.” Dear Julia, I grew up in the 1950s, so Mr. Bingle looms large in my memories of Christmases past. I especially liked the original TV spots and remember not only Bingle (then a marionette operated and voiced by Oscar Isentrout) but Al Shea as Pete the Penguin and Stocker Fontelieu as Dr. Walrus. When I heard, in the early ’80s, that WVUE was making new Mr. Bingle shorts, I was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing these familiar characters once again. However, when the series

N ew O rle a ns

On Thanksgiving Day 1981, Channel 8 (WVUE) ran the first of 12 new four-and-a-half minute live-action shorts featuring the Maison Blanche department store’s seasonal mascot, Mister Bingle, and friends. Sid Berger and Cindy Reiss, both of Peter Mayer Advertising, produced the shows which Times-Picayune entertainment critic Benjamin Morrison described as “clever, colorful and fast.” Set design was by Candy Davey. Alice Tweedie, who had worked with Jim Henson, designed the new puppets and played Miss Holly. Adam Cohen

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both operated and provided the voice for Mr. Bingle while Mark Mekelburg and Peter Gabb played Pete the Penguin and Dr. Walrus, respectively. Meteorologist Bob Breck had a few cameo appearances, as did newsman Steve Ozenovich. The shows were cute, but for some of us who remembered the original television spots the soft sculpture rod puppet’s design had only a vague resemblance to the beloved character and was just too different to accept as the “real” Mr. Bingle. The revamped Mr. Bingle seems to have quietly faded away. Dear Julia and Poydras, I am intrigued by recent news of the oarfish washing up in California. Do you happen to know if those weird deep-sea fish are native only to the Pacific Ocean or if they have ever been found in our own coastal waters? Alex Washerman Lakeview

Oarfish (Regalecus glesne) most certainly live in the Gulf of Mexico, and Louisiana State University has the highdefinition color video to prove it. In 2010, Mark Benfield, While filming under an oil-drilling platform in the associate proGulf of Mexico, LSU Department of Oceanography fessor in the and Coastal Sciences captured what may be the world’s first look at a living oarfish swimming. Department of Oceanography and Coastal platform, their remotely operSciences, and others were ated cameras captured what working with the SERPENT may be the world’s first look project, when they hapat a living oarfish swimming pened upon the unusual fish. in its natural environment. SERPENT is an international The high-definition film of this project in which the academic brief deep-water encounter community, using technology garnered worldwide attenand deep-water expertise from tion. The serpentine fish, with partners in the oil and gas its distinctive red head crest industry, can access and study raised – was observed swimthe deep-water environment. ming by undulating its long While filming under the dorsal fin. Thunderhorse oil-drilling

MARK BENFIELD, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPH

debuted I was appalled. Not only had the voices changed but the sweet little flying snowman with holly-leaf wings and ice cream cone hat was bloated and virtually unrecognizable. Do you remember anything else about this re-styled television Bingle? Allison Hannigan

THEBEAT MARQUEE

PERSONA

BIZ

EDUCATION

HEALTH

CRIME FIGHTING

NEWS

PERSONA:

Benny Grunch PAGE 26 This year’s incarnation of Benny Grunch and the Bunch’s 12 Yats of Christmas CD features two new songs, the New Orleans rhythm and blues second-line “Down the Road Santee Claus” and “Santa’s Got Your Personal Information,” a surf-rock tune that makes a foray into national satire.

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

MARQUEE

T HE BE A T OUR

T O P P I C K S O F T H E M O N T H’S E V E N T S BY

LAUREN

LABORDE

ANNIE ANYTIME

Picture This

Photography takes over the city’s art scene for the annual PhotoNOLA, the New Orleans Photo Alliance’s citywide photography festival, held Dec. 12-15. The festival features exhibitions at galleries in the Warehouse District and St. Claude area, as well as galleries Uptown and some bars, restaurants and other nontraditional spaces. While the event has a lot to offer spectators, photographers can take advantage of the workshops, portfolio reviews and lectures held during the weekend. The PhotoGALA and keynote lecture at the New Orleans Museum of Art kick off the event. Information, Lewis Wickes Hine’s “Powerhouse PhotoNola.org.

On the heels of a Broadway revival and with a big-screen adaptation starring Houma native Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) in the works, the musical Annie is ripe for revisiting on local stages. But the tale of a spunky orphan who is looking for her parents during the Great Depression, and in the process charms a stoic millionaire who reluctantly takes Annie under his wing during the holidays, is appropriate any time – especially amid our own period of economic uncertainty. Rivertown Theaters of the Performing Arts presents the show Dec. 6-22, and the cast features Madison Kerth, who played Annie in the Broadway national tour. Information, RivertownTheaters.com.

Having a Ball The New Orleans Opera Association presents Massenet’s Cinderella in February, but the group’s Women’s Guild gets the coach rolling early with a fundraiser fit for a fairy godmother. The Cinderella-themed Opera Ball and Bash on New Year’s Eve features music by the Yat Pack, a silent auction and raffle and a late-night breakfast buffet. There’s also a prime view of the fireworks display on the river from the ballroom at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel – and no threat of turning into a pumpkin if you get home a little late. Information, NewOrleansOpera.org.

Mechanic and Steam Pump” (1920)

Dec. 4-8, 11-15, 18-20. The Acro-Cats, AllWays Lounge.

CircusCats.com Through Jan. 4. Celebration in the Oaks,

City Park. Information,

Saenger Theatre. Information,

NewOrleansCityPark.com

SaengerNola.com

Dec. 5. Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar in concert, New Orleans Arena. Information,

Dec. 4-8. Words & Music literary festival, various locations. Information,

WordsAndMusic.org

NewOrleansArena. com

DECEMBER 2013

Dec. 7. Nick Kroll, Civic Theater. Information,

CivicNola.com Dec. 7. Bonnie Raitt in concert, Saenger Theatre. Information,

Pavement, a dance work, Contemporary Arts Center.

SaengerNola.com

Dec 6-22. Black Nativity: A Christmas Gospel Musical, Anthony Bean Community Theater. Information,

Dec. 7. John Mayer in concert, New Orleans Arena. Information,

Bonnie Raitt, Dec. 7

Irish Tenors, Dec. 3

AnthonyBeanTheater.com

NolaProject.com

Dec. 6-7. Abraham. In.Motion presents

Dec. 3. Irish Tenors Christmas,

Information, Cacno.org Dec. 6-22. NOLA Project presents A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant, MidCity Theatre. Information,

myneworleans.com

NOLA PERRIN PHOTOGRAPH, TOP

The New Orleansbased Lightwire Theater may not have won “America’s Got Talent,” but they did inspire a moment of sincerity from judge Howard Stern, who after watching them declared, “You’re everything that makes America great.” It is hard not to smile watching Lightwire’s dancers – who wear puppet-like costumes outfitted with electroluminescent wires and perform in the dark – bring to life tales of colorful creatures for children and adults alike. Lightwire takes residency at the Joy Theater Dec. 12-22 for Lightwire: A Very Electric Christmas before embarking on a tour in February. Ian Carney, a Broadway veteran and the group’s co-founder, talks about the show and “AGT.”

SPOTLIGHT

LIVE PUPPETS FULLY CHARGED Ian Carney, co-founder of Lightwire Theater Lightwire’s Ian and Eleanor Carney

Talent” affect what you do? It increased

those people who have seen us at the two shows locally at the Contemporary Arts Center [Darwin the Dinosaur and The Ugly Duckling] they’ll see something different. The people who haven’t seen us or are

familiar with us from “America’s Got Talent” will get a chance to see us live. Although the creatures look really cool on TV, live is a whole other thing. People don’t understand what they’re looking at. We’ve had cops called on us outside Audubon Zoo [during a rehearsal] because creatures were running around in the dark – people were slamming their brakes. It was an exciting chance for us to give back to the city, to do

a show we want to be a tradition at the Joy and do a Christmas show that’s different, while still having root in the classic Christmas things but trying to take a left turn whenever we can. Our background is ballet, so there’s certainly a nod to The Nutcracker, but it’s certainly not The Nutcracker. It’s got holiday standards, but it’s not bombarding you with Christmas music the whole two acts. How did the exposure from “America’s Got

demand for what we do, and that’s a good thing. The difficulty is … we build everything in-house. The complicated electrical systems, we do them here. There’s also training new people on how to deal with this stuff, because the wire itself is very temperamental; it doesn’t want to do what we do to it. … If the electrical system goes, there’s no character. When I was dancing on Broadway, you

NewOrleansArena.com

LPOMusic.com

RunningOfTheSantas.com

Saenger Theatre. Information,

Dec. 10. A John Waters Christmas, Civic Theater.

Dec. 12-13. Disney Junior Live on Tour: Pirate and Princess Adventure, UNO Lakefront

Dec. 15. Aaron Neville Christmas concert, Civic Theater. Information,

Arena. Information, Arena.

no.edu

What can people expect from the Christmas show? For

Information, CivicNola.com Dec. 12. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Baroque Christmas, First Baptist Church. Information,

SaengerNola.com

CivicNola.com

Dec. 27-Jan. 12. The Golden Girls, Mid-City

Dec. 17-22. Sister Act,

NewOrleansBowl.org

Theatre. Information,

Dec. 22. Caroling in Jackson Square. Information,

MidCityTheatre.com

Dec. 14. Running of the Santas festival and pubcrawl, Warehouse District. Information,

Great Russian Nutcracker, Saenger Theatre. Information,

SaengerNola.com Dec. 21. New Orleans Bowl, Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Information,

Dec. 27-28. Friends of the Cabildo Creole Christmas, French Quarter. Information,

PatioPlanters.org Dec. 26. Moscow Ballet

FriendsOfTheCabildo.org

Caroling in Jackson Square, Dec. 22

Sister Act, Dec. 17-22

could smile and dance your way out of it. But the good part about our medium is the sky is the limit. When you create a world like we create, there’s really nothing we can’t achieve. Birds, fish – you own the space because it’s all blackness. We try to envelope the audience in the world a lot more. We’ve been to Bogota, Denmark, Russia three times now, Toyko, Hong Kong … the show had a whole life and enabled us to do a lot of traveling and avoid one thing that really separates us as people, which is language. We’re so happy to be able to be home in New Orleans and hire New Orleans people to do our shows. The support of our community has been wonderful. I had to leave New Orleans to dance on Broadway, but I don’t have to leave New Orleans for this. There’s no other city on the planet like this one. We love that we can stay here. For more information on Lightwire Theater, visit LightwireTheater.com.

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

T HE BEA T

PERSONA

Benny Grunch BY LAUREN LABORDE

efore the days of viral videos ,

At a Glance

New Orleans had its own video hit: Benny Age: 68 Profession: Singer and bassist, Benny Grunch and the Grunch and the Bunch’s the “12 Yats of Bunch Born/raised: Lakeview Resides: Lakeview Family: Partner, Christmas,” a locals-humor take on the “12 Becky. One daughter and two grandchildren. Education: St. Aloysius, Days of Christmas” that first aired on WWL-TV as part of Southeastern Louisiana University Favorite movie: Woody Allen’s Frank Davis’ Naturally N’Awlins series. More than two Zelig and What’s Up, Tiger Lily Favorite band/musician: Huey “Piano” decades after that video first aired, the song is solidified Smith Favorite restaurant: Bud’s Broiler, especially the City Park in the canon of New Orleans holiday traditions alongside Avenue location Favorite hobby: Working on European Motorcycles Mr. Bingle and Celebration in the Oaks. These days the and cars Favorite vacation spot: “I like to go where there are car and band’s 68-year-old front man, whose real name is Benny motorcycle events. My favorite is in Birmingham, Ala.: Barber Vintage Antin, is slowed down by rheumatoid arthritis, but he still Festival. Another favorite spot is Daytona Beach for Bike Week. I’m not writes and performs. This year’s incarnation of the 12 Yats a Harley guy but they have a lot of European-style events, too.” of Christmas CD – which includes other local holiday hits “Ain’t Dere No More” and “Santa & His Reindeer” – features two new songs, the New Orleans rhythm and blues second-line “Down the You must be busy right now. People actually start Road Santee Claus” and “Santa’s Got Your Personal Information,” a surf-rock having holiday parties in September. So it kind tune that marks Antin’s first foray into national satire. I talked to him at his of starts right around then and then at the end Lakeview home, where he lives with his girlfriend and in his spare time works of September, and it gets busier and busier right on European cars and motorcycles. Despite his arthritis, when he visits his through pretty much New Year’s Eve. And then daughter in Denver he rides one of his bikes all the way. I get a little spurt around Mardi Gras too …

DECEMBER 2013

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GREG MILES PHOTOGRAPH

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DECEMBER 2013

[because of the song] “Ain’t No Place to Pee on a Mardi Gras Day.” I probably make more of a living from the sale of the 12 Yats of Christmas CD than I do from performances because they’re in all the local Walgreens, Barnes & Nobles and independent music stores like Louisiana Music Factory. I always say it’s a big hit from the East Coast to the West Coast – from Pass Christian to LaPlace. How did you start playing music? I started taking guitar

lessons in 1956. Mother said she didn’t know what the heck to do with me. My first job with a band was at a bar on Airline Highway. They didn’t care how old you were in those days. All bars that catered to young people had a policeman in the bar. So you knew where your kids were – they were safe in a bar. I did that through high school and a little bit through college – I didn’t finish college; I went to Southeastern for about three years. I played there at The Brown Door with a band called the Dirty Virgins. The Dean of Men didn’t like that name. I had some posters and advertised with little flyers on campus … and [the dean] had all the flyers on his desk and one of the flyers had a name I made up: “Lena Grunch loves the Dirty Virgins, you will too every Wednesday at the Brown Door.” I think I got suspended for a couple of days. As I was walking out, the dean pointed to one of those flyers and said, “You know what, we’re gonna find out who this Grunch woman is.” The next time we played I changed the name of the band to “Lena Grunch’s Bunch,” and by the end of the night everyone was calling it “Benny Grunch’s Bunch” and the drummer, Wade, was calling me Benny Grunch. So by the end of the night it was Benny Grunch and the Bunch. How did “12 Yats of Christmas” come to be? 28

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In 1990, someone said you oughta do a 12 Days of Christmas about New Orleans. We were playing a gig one night and it all came to me there – “Yes, 12 Yats of Christmas” – and do what I call a numerical entendre for each one. That is – six pack of Dixie. A dozen Manuel’s Tamales. Tujaque’s recipe. Ate by ya mama’s. Lower 9th Ward. Not everyone gets that I’m doing a numerical entendre. Everyone says, I have some great lyrics for you, and they’re just “two City Park kiddie rides. Four Uptown street corners.” At that time in 1990 when I first did the “12 Yats” and it really took off, it was on all the Top 40 stations and one of the stations, I guess it was maybe B97, they had the “Top 9 at 9” every night. And I know Whitney Houston’s manager was saying, “Who the heck is Benny Grunch?” because she was never the top through the holidays, I was. Are you surprised that the song took off the way it did?

Not only am I surprised, my guy in Tennessee who [packages the CDs] for me said, “Man, you’ve gotten more mileage out of one song than most country artists get in a lifetime.” What do people who aren’t from here think about your music? It takes them about

three years before they come over. It makes no sense at all at first. And after about three years – it’s usually three to seven years – they can’t get enough. What is your favorite place that ain’t dere no more?

Pontchartrain Beach, like almost anyone would tell you. Of course I miss all the neighborhood shows [movie theaters]. That was a phenomenon all over the country, especially since they had air conditioning. For just 25 cents you go to movies and be cool all night. True Confession: I’m really not from St. Bernard Parish – I’m from Lakeview.

N EWSBEAT

Milne Boys Home’s Redevelopment In 2014, the City of New Orleans plans to begin redevelopment of an historic property in Gentilly. Shuttered since Hurricane Katrina, the Milne Boys Home will serve as the new headquarters for the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. Opened in 1933, it housed orphans and troubled youth until it closed in ’86. Until Katrina it served intermittently as a center for after school and summer programs. “The redevelopment of the Milne Boys Home as the new home of NORDC is a perfect example of the adaptive reuse of this historic property” Deputy Mayor Cedric Grant said. “It will once again serve as a safe place for New Orleans youth to grow, learn and play.” Currently, NORDC leadership and managerial staff work out of three recreations centers, but this will enable NORDC to finally have all its functions under one roof. “Centralizing our administrative space will benefit NORDC’s community reach and enable efficient and professional delivery of recreational services,” NORDC CEO Vic Richard said. The new NORDC is committed to becoming one of the best recreation departments in the country, 30

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with both facilities and programming that will strengthen our communities and groom future generations” The facility will provide youth athletics to promote what the city calls, “physical, social and personal benefits that last a lifetime.” It will also offer cultural programs to “feed the soul with artistic expression” and will employ the leadership of local youth in a “teen council.” The redeveloped facility will support the City’s NOLA FOR LIFE murder reduction initiative, which has identified several challenges faced by youth including low levels of community participation, low parental involvement, lack of involvement in conventional activities and low emotional attachment to parents and community that can contribute to estrangement and violent behavior. Richard added, “By partnering NOLA FOR LIFE and NORDC programming, we can reduce violent behaviors by promoting and enhancing the development of youth by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence in their lives.” Construction on the $11.2 million redevelopment is anticipated to be complete next summer. – M E G A N S N I D E R

T HE BE A T

BIZ

‘‘Better Half’’or Have-nots? Report says women remain shut out of corporate decision-making B y K a t h y F inn

illionaire

W arren

B uffett ,

one

the

wealthiest

people in the world and arguably its most famous investor, recently joked that one reason he became so successful early in his career was because “I only had to compete with half the work force.” His quip referred to the fact that decades ago men overwhelmingly dominated the ranks of money-earners, and if any women were spotted in corporate executive offices, they likely were fetching coffee. While women have made huge strides since those days and now hold close to half of all jobs in the United States, Buffett, 82, says they still have a long way to go. “For most of our history, women – whatever their abilities – have been relegated to the sidelines,” he wrote in an essay published recently in Fortune Magazine. Pointing to his own family as an example, Buffett said that while he and his two sisters were equally intelligent and their parents treated them as equals growing up, “The moment I emerged from my mother’s womb, my possibilities dwarfed those of my siblings, for I was a boy.” Buffett believes the world has missed the boat in failing not only to close a big pay gap between men and women, but to put more women into corporate board seats and corner offices. “If obvious benefits flow from helping the male component of the workforce achieve its potential, why in the world wouldn’t you want to include its counterpart?” he asked. A recent study of Louisiana women in business leadership positions raised similar questions. Prepared for Tulane University’s Newcomb College Institute, in partnership with the local chapter of National Association of Women Business Owners and ION (the InterOrganization Network), the report evaluated female participation in the decision-making ranks of 50 publicly traded companies in Louisiana. The study’s findings showed that businesses in Louisiana lag behind other states in terms of female participation. Women hold only 7 percent of 326 board positions in the companies surveyed, and fewer than 14 percent of executive officer seats are occupied by women the study showed. Among 190 executives who are the top-paid executives in the companies, just 16 are women. Newcomb Institute Director Sally Kenney points out that nearly 45 percent of business degrees awarded in the United States go to women and more than half the population is female. “We need to put pressure on these companies to recruit women and develop lists of well-qualified women in Louisiana ready to serve,” she says. Kenney presented the report during an October luncheon on the Tulane campus that featured several people who are leading the charge to put more women into corporate boardrooms. Susan Miller Adams, a co-founder of ION, said the goal in getting more women on boards isn’t merely to achieve numeric equality with men. “More diverse leadership will create stronger organizations,” she said. ION, formed in 2014, operates through 16 regional organizations to help draw more

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ROBERT LANDRY ILLUSTRATION

women into positions of power in the business world, in part by developing databases of women who are qualified and available to serve on boards and in executive positions. One of ION’s aims, Adams said, is to develop role models for young girls and show them a viable path toward success in business. The event also featured Paula Meyer, a financial services industry veteran who co-founded the Minnesota Chapter of Women Corporate Directors. Meyer, who sits on the boards of three large corporations, offered tips for women who would like to follow a similar route. While knowledge and expertise are key ingredients for board membership, she said, the path “is dramatically shaped by who you know, not what you know.” Meyer described how she laid the groundwork for her own election as a board member of Mutual of Omaha, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Ia., and First Command Financial Services in Fort Worth, Texas. Her strategy included cultivating relationships with key people who had connections with directors or top executives in those companies. “I don’t think I would have been invited to join those boards if I hadn’t worked on those relationships,” she said. Meyer added that women who do land board seats should do their best to help others get there too. “It’s essential that women on corporate boards try to improve the gender diversity of those boards,” she said. Female board members should ask to become members of nominating and governance committees, or at least attend those committee meetings, in order to be in a position to recommend qualified women when openings arise, she said. Meyer advised aspiring board members to know their strengths, hone particular skills and knowledge likely to be welcomed by

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Numbers Tell the Tale

According to the 2013 Report on Women and Corporate Boards, in 50 publicly traded companies in Louisiana: B 7.2 percent of 363 total board positions are occupied by women B 13.6 percent of 287 executive officers are women B 8.4 percent of the 191 highest-paid executives are women B Only 1 company in Louisiana has more than 3 women on its corporate board B 26 of the companies have no women on their boards B 21 of the companies have no female executives The report took note of 8 companies in Louisiana that have more than 3 women board members and executive officers: board members and executive officers

Albemarle Corp. CenturyLink Inc. Entergy Corp. CKX Lands Inc. Stewart Enterprises Inc. Stone Energy Corp. McMoRan Exploration Co. Crown Crafts Inc.

# of women

6 4 4 4 4 4 3 3

The Report on Women and Corporate Boards in Louisiana is available at tulane.edu/newcomb.

the board they hope to join. “Deep financial expertise and experience in running large companies are incredibly valuable skills in a board room,” she said. Among 16 locales where similar studies of women in corporate leadership were conducted, Louisiana companies had the lowest ranking, according to the Tulane study.

T HE BEA T

‘‘

EDUCATION

tatistics can be made up to prove anything

– even the truth.” Of all the amusing quotes I’ve seen about statistics, this one seems to best sum up the ongoing controversy about the turnaround of New Orleans schools. A website called the “Quote Garden” says the author of this witticism is unknown, but whoever came up with it must have faced similar circumstances. No matter how many statistics come from the Louisiana Department of Education showing the substantial gains in student achievement in New Orleans schools since 2005, there’s a stubborn knot of naysayers who insist that the stats are the result of a conspiracy by a dishonest government and power-hungry reformers. They seem to mourn the chaotic, inept, even corrupt system of schools that existed before Katrina finally gave state officials an excuse to seize most of them. Last spring, for example, Leslie Jacobs, a former local and state school board member, went on WBOK radio to discuss school improvements. She says she spent most of the program defending good news to a disbelieving audience. These same opponents protest school system changes in front of her house from time to time. “Critics don’t believe the statistics,” she says. But each year the statistics get better and better and “it’s getting harder and harder to deny the improvement.” The DOE’s latest press release, for example, says that in New Orleans “only 5.7 percent of students now attend a failing school – down from 65 percent in 2005.” Everyone in the state should be rejoicing, but soon after the news came out, Jason France, a fired DOE

employee, began discrediting it in a blog he calls the Crazy Crawfish. In the blog, he questions Jacobs’ published analysis of DOE figures, claims state Superintendent of Education John White is hiding data that would discredit DOE’s statistical results and further clouds the issue with his own clever and but apparently tongue-in-cheek reasoning. Of the three, the latter could prove the most effective way of providing fodder to the doubters, whether he intends it or not. The heading on one of his blogs is: “New Orleans SPS [school performance score] reveals 69 percent of students now attend ‘failing schools’ according to Bobby Jindal (compared to 62 percent in 2005).” A reader must read a long way down to discover that the “69 percent” failing rate is a satirical reference to Gov. Jindal’s signature voucher program,

Schools are Improving Yet some people are unhappy about that B Y D A W N R U TH

John Dibert Community School

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BRYAN TARNOWSKI PHOTOGRAPH

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which allows low-income students once attending “C,” “D” and “F” rated public schools to attend non-public schools with public funds. France’s satire points out that if “C” and “D” schools are bad enough to warrant giving students a free ride at taxpayer expense to a private school, then those schools are the same as “F” schools in Jindal’s political world view. In other words, France uses Jindal’s political definition for a “failing” school, not the DOE’s definition. The point is a funny jibe. The problem is, many people aren’t informed enough to understand his joke, and even those who would understand aren’t likely to wade through all the charts and graphs he offers to get to the comedy. Many will take the satire in the headline as fact. France contends the complexity and changes are a ruse to manipulate the data for nefarious reasons and to cover up embarrassing details about the academic results of Jindal’s voucher program. France once worked as an accountability analyst for the DOE, his blog says, so maybe he knows something outsiders don’t. It is certainly true that John White was Jindal’s handpicked superintendent, and he has occasionally shown suspicious devotion to Jindal’s political agenda. However, even if White’s DOE is hiding inconvenient facts, there is collaborating evidence that New Orleans schools are significantly better than they were in 2005. Tulane University’s Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives, a think-tank that has been keeping tabs on local school reform, issues an annual report on New Orleans’ schools. As a major research university, Tulane’s reports are based on numerous national and state statistical sources. The institute’s reports over the years have analyzed a variety of factors, including enrollment, levels of student poverty, test scores and nationally administered college entrance scores, and its conclusions have typically been cautious about the effectiveness of the state’s 2005 takeover of most New Orleans schools. In fact, an early report said that data hadn’t yet revealed a clear picture about the effectiveness of the state’s Recovery School District’s schools. The Cowen Institute’s 2012-’13 report, however, was no longer guarded. “Improved academic performance of students in New Orleans continue to demonstrate notable gains on critical performance measures, including state standardized tests, the ACT and cohort graduation rates,” the Cowen report said. “New Orleans’ average performance on these indicators has improved each year since Katrina, and indeed New Orleans’ District Performance Score is the most improved in the state since 2005. “2011 marked the first time that the percentage of AfricanAmerican students passing state standardized tests in New Orleans (53 percent) outpaced the state’s African-American passage rate (51 percent), and, in 2013, RSD’s test scores in New Orleans grew faster than any other public school system in Louisiana. Though schools in New Orleans remain among the lowest performing in the state, the significant academic gains made in recent years should be recognized.” While it’s true that Tulane’s analysis is heavily reliant on DOE data, Cowen’s scholarly, highly trained researchers aren’t likely to be fooled by any data manipulation that may or may not be happening at the state level. The institution has a reputation to protect. The bottom line is this: Before 2005, most children attending New Orleans schools left them with little chance for any kind of real future because they couldn’t read and write well enough to qualify for skilled jobs. Today, more of them have the basic skills they need to escape the poverty and violence that have depressed New Orleans’ economy for decades. 38

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T HE BE A T

HEALTH

Sobering Thoughts Hangover helpers from around the world B Y B R O B S O N L U T Z , M.D.

N ew O rleans may not have as many seasons as the rest

of the country, but we have a season others don’t. We have a bimodal hangover season that begins in December, peaks at New Year’s Eve and then insidiously crests at Mardi Gras. I contacted mostly non-native New Orleanians to catalog what special cures and potions they packed from home.

mauritius: French lentil soup. Chef Dominique Macquet from

Japan: Congee with plum (a rice dish). Chef Nao of Sugiyama,

Mauritius, an island with French and English influences

New York City’s premiere Japanese food bar

Eastern Kentucky: An old Appalachian hangover cure is to

Colorado: Two ounces of bloody mary mixed with a 12-ounce Amber Ale and seasoned with Lea & Perrins and lemon. We call it a red fat tire. Brooke Becker, server at Restaurant R’evolution

Ireland: My Irish Grandma Nellie always advised two cups of

New York: Nux vomica. I just love the sound of it. It was actually part of a combination of things, but I can’t remember what, and the druggist who gave me the remedy has since died – possibly of strychnine poisoning? John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The City of Falling Angels

pour out half of a 20-ounce Coca-Cola and refill with buttermilk. Shake well and drink in one gulp. Sarah Baird, culinary writer

hot tea with condensed milk, two pieces of white toast with butter, two aspirins and then back in bed for an hour. Works every time. Inez Bucaro, New Orleans attorney blessed with both Irish and Italian grandmothers

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EUGENIA UHL PHOTOGRAPH

Branson, Mo.: I am performing in Branson, Mo., right now. If I had a hangover I would catch the first flight back to New Orleans for a bloody mary made by Donna with secret added ingredients at the Touché Bar (Omni Royal Orleans). Kisses. Gennifer Flowers, former resident of Arkansas

France: Viandox. Combine Maggi, celery salt, and hot water as

a substitute for the real stuff. More salt and flavor than plain beef bullion. Rene Bajeux, New Orleans chef born in France

Turkey: Tripe soup. Restaurants in Turkey stay open late on New Year’s Eve dishing it out. Rue Morrison, former owner of Delk and Morrison now living on a sailboat in Turkey

Vietnam: The best cure for a hangover is pho, the Vietnamese

beef soup with noodles. Minh Thanh Nguyen, Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association of New Orleans

, chef currently Germany: Keep sipping beer. Gunter Preuss with pop-ups at Eleven 79

Mexico: Another shot of Tequila or a Michelada – beer with

chili and lemon. Isaac Musselwhite, retired Archbishop Rummel English teacher now in Guanajuato, Mexico

Sydney, Australia: Berocca: An effervescent spewing of vita-

mins and stuff when added to water. Berocca gives you back your bounce according to the ads. Michael Reynolds, filmmaker and bartender at Marti’s Restaurant

New Orleans: There is nothing bette r than double or triple strength dark roast coffee with chico ry. The Internet may say the Sicilian cure is eating a dried bull’s penis, but I never heard of that. Joe Segreta, Eleven 79 restauran t

Ya Ka Mein

New Orleans’ Best Kept Secret A soup consumed primarily in New Orleans’ black neighborhoods may well be this city’s best-kept secret for hangover prevention and treatment. Spellings for Ya Ka Mein are as numerous as recipes for gumbo. Gene Bourg spells it yat gaw mein. It is ya cha mein at a place on Felicity Street. It was spelled yat-ka-mein when sold by the Dejoie family restaurant on Danneel Street. “No, I don’t have a recipe for Ya Ka Mein, honey. It is not Creole – it’s Chinese. I know a customer has a hangover when someone comes in asking for it. It is sold only in the black community usually from small Chinese takeouts in the neighborhoods,” said Leah Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant on Orleans Avenue several years ago. For a takeout container, drive around a predominately black New Orleans neighborhood looking for availablity signs outside corner stores. A person known as Miss Linda, the Ya Ka Mein Lady, has surfaced as the soup’s local patron saintress, neworleanssoulfood.com. myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

The Hainkel Home

612 Henry Clay Avenue New Orleans, LA 70118 Phone : 504-896-5900 Fax: 504-896-5984 “They have an exemplary quality assurance program… I suspect the Hainkel Home is one of the best nursing homes in the state of Louisiana… This is a home that the city of New Orleans needs, desperately needs.”

HEALTHBEAT In September the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services partnered with the Louisiana

Health Cooperative, Inc. to develop the statewide health Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP). The idea is to provide a customer governed and nonprofit health coverage opportunity to small business owners and the public In October the CO-OP was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony in anticipation of increasing wellness through high quality health care.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation awarded a bronze level National Recognition award to Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School. The School Based Health Center and student-led Wellness Council worked together to make strides in the healthy habits of physical activity and education in nutrition and health. By receiving

this recognition, Bonnabel has proved the success of the school’s health initiatives, including a vegetable garden used and kept up by the students, a wide array of exercise opportunities found in classes and clubs, wellness and health screenings and the requirement of more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in school meals. Bonnabel is only the third school in Louisiana to be awarded this recognition.

Despite the fact that language and speech impediments affect millions of people, not much is known about the neural mechanisms that are responsible for these impairments because they are difficult to study in humans. Along with a research team, Dr. Xiaoching Li at LSU Health Sciences Center used Zebra Finches as models to study the connections between the vocal learning methods of birds and the neural workings for speech development in humans. This study has uncovered new information that reveals how two microRNA molecules, directed by the social situa-

tion of spoken conduct, control a gene that’s used in speech and autism disorders. The microRNA molecules in the Zebra Finch brain were necessary in vocal learning and the regulation of social song behavior, confirmed by male birds singing undirected songs. The microRNA in humans adjusts the levels of the FOXP2 gene, a gene that if mutated has been linked to autism. A specific amount of FOXP2 is required for a successful growth of the neural circuits that process language, so the findings gained during the study of Zebra Finches should be very helpful in the understanding of human disorders.

– Dr. Brobson Lutz

New Parkside Red Unit Services Include: • Private and Semi- Private Rooms • Skilled Services including Speech, Physical, Occupational Therapy • Licensed Practical and Registered Nurses on duty 24 hours a day. • Respiratory & IV Therapy & Tracheotomy Care • Extensive Restorative Program • Adult Day Health Care Services and more!

Chartered in 1891, the John J. Hainkel, Jr. Home and Rehabilitation Center is a nonprofit home located in Uptown New Orleans that provides health care services to local Medicaid, Medicare and Veterans Affairs patients as well as those with private insurance or private pay. Exhibiting highest quality care, Hainkel received “0” deficiencies in a recent annual survey conducted by the Department of Health & Hospitals. The Hainkel Home, following the original mission of the New Orleans Home for the Incurables, promotes quality of life through a unique and caring alternative for the elderly and those who suffer from serious illnesses and disabilities.

Kellie Hardie, Admissions Phone 504.896.5904 | Fax 504.896.5984 Email kellie.hardie@hainkelhome.com 42

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– PAIGE NULTY

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

T HE BEA T

CRIME FIGHTING

The Legacy of Baby Quinton A different type of loss BY ALLEN JOHNSON Jr.

n a rainy S aturday morning , a hospital

emergency room in New Orleans can’t seem to live up to its name. Most of the curtained trauma rooms sit empty. Shelves of clean white bandages remain untouched. A thin, dark-complected woman in blue scrubs stares sleepily across newly waxed, unpeopled floors – waiting for the boredom of the night shift to end. It is quiet. Not the kind of kind quiet one can enjoy, but a healing silence. Suddenly, an explosion of action. Emergency room nurses and staff burst through a set of double-doors, yelling instructions and directions and calling for unseen assistance. A young woman runs along side them. She is weeping – “Oh my, baby! My baby! Oh, please! No!” In the center of the rushing crowd a brown-haired woman in blue scrubs tries to revive a motionless black baby boy, wrapped in a soft blanket. She covers the infant’s mouth with her own, puffing a series of quick rescue breaths into the child’s tiny lungs. Other patients and their families look on anxiously as the nurse tries to save the idle infant. 44

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He is a child of New Orleans and an innocent among us. The medical entourage sweeps around a corner, lunges down another hallway and disappears. The young mother’s wails trail behind. “My baby!” she weeps. Her anguish fills the halls. Patients and families linger near curtained trauma rooms. No one else speaks. The mother’s grief has become their own. B

Suddenly, the emergency room is quiet again. It isn’t the healing silence of before, but a long, deathly calm. One by one, nurses, aides and interns, return solemnly to an office/reception area. Just moments ago, their eyes filled with fierce purpose as if all the hopes and dreams for the future of the city depended on the life of one baby. Now, they look at the floor; their shoulders sag. One petite, blond-haired nurse sits at a computer. Her face darkens as she begins to type. A visitor asks another hospital employee what happened to the infant. The worker, who’s reaching into a medical supply cabinet, replies without turning. “That baby is dead,” she says, quietly. Down the hall, a voice calls for the hospital chaplain. B

Quinton O’Neal “King” Franklin Jr. was 3 weeks old when he J O S E P H D A N I E L F I E D L E R I llustra T ion

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died on Oct. 19. A picture of the toddler in his red “Superman” shirt appeared with his obituary one week later in editions of The Times-Picayune and The New Orleans Advocate. The son of Quinton O’Neal Franklin Sr. and Myeisha Jenkins, baby Quinton died of natural causes at Touro Infirmary, Orleans Parish Chief Coroner’s Investigator John Gagliano confirms. Further testing would be required for a specific cause of death. In Orleans Parish, the three leading causes of infant mortality are low-birth weight, birth defects and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, says Teresa Falgoust, a spokeswoman for the New Orleans-based advocacy group Agenda for Children. Baby Quinton’s tragic death doesn’t fit our city’s violent motif – or a column about crime, frankly. Not at all. Countless New Orleans area children have been killed, maimed or traumatized in recent years by drive-by shootings and other senseless acts. Baby Quinton wasn’t among them. Homicide is the leading killer of black males age 15 to 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Baby Quinton lived less than a month. Yet, he touched the hearts of many. His Monday morning funeral in a tough downtown neighborhood probably doesn’t fit too many expectations either. A heartshaped arrangement of daisies stands next to the infant’s open blue casket. A smiling Mickey Mouse doll sits in the child’s coffin, surrounded by bright new toys. Rev. Matt Turner surveys the crowd of some 75 working-class mourners at Charbonnet-LabatGlapion Funeral Home (1615 St. Philip St.) saying: “How many of you know that bad things happen to good people?” Several in the crowd reply “Amen.” The minister offers young Quinton’s devastated parents the solace of faith. He praises the baby’s father for standing by his mother’s side and recalls a Biblical promise for their painful loss: “This too shall pass.” A second pastor recounts the death of his own son last March, adding, “When you’ve lost one of your children, you’ve lost a great part of you.” More than a few mourners reply, “Amen.” Reverend Turner closes the service, with a eulogy for Baby Quinton: “He was an angel who knew no sin.” B

Baby Quinton will be numerically represented in future reports about the infant mortality rate in New Orleans, defined as the percentage of babies who died before reaching their first birthday. In 2009, for example, there were 4,582 babies born in New Orleans; 39 died before their first birthday, which gives the city an infant mortality rate of 8.5 per 1,000 births, according to the nonprofit March of Dimes. (The national rate was 6.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births). What matters most is not how they die but that they should live. They are all children of New Orleans. Some are like baby Quinton who showed us the tender side of tough neighborhoods and the loving families therein. They remind us of life’s wonder and many possibilities (not just the limitations). They inspire heroic efforts of teachers, musicians, police, firefighters, and yes, emergency room doctors, nurses and staff. Like baby Quinton, they are only children. And all children are too young to die. Innocents among us. Angels “without sin.” Amen. 46

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N EWSBEAT

Plugging the “Retail Leakage” The Orleans Parish Retail Report, published by the New Orleans Business Alliance in 2013, analyzed the retail spending of New Orleans residents. The report identified a “retail leakage” in Orleans Parish of $1.9 billion dollars in 2012 – or retail spending by Orleans Parish residents in surrounding parishes, other cities and online. “Our retail report provides clear data highlighting the tremendous opportunity for retail growth in New Orleans,” said Rodrick T. Miller, President and CEO of NOLABA. “We are working diligently with the city and other partners in the real estate and brokerage communities to expand retail in New Orleans through pointed attraction and retention efforts focused on what New Orleanians have said they desire.” Addressing this “retail leakage” gap has been a top priority for the city under the Landrieu Administration. Mid-City Market opened in 2013, featuring tenants such as Winn-Dixie, Panera Bread and Five Guys. Also, Costco opened its first store in Louisiana in New Orleans; Tiffany & Co. opened at Canal Place; and H&M opened in the French Quarter. New retailers to the New Orleans market also opened doors at the reno48

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vated Algiers Plaza – including Ross Dress for Less, Petco and Mattress Firm. In New Orleans East, CVS and Big Lots have opened locations. “We are committed to attracting new retail options, which creates jobs and revitalizes the community,” said Aimee Quirk, Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Advisor for Economic Development. “New retail also means more tax dollars that the city can dedicate to police, fire, roads and other essential services.” More retail growth is expected in 2014. The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk will feature upscale outlet retailers such as Last Call Studio by Neiman Marcus, Tommy Bahama and Coach Men’s Outlet. Additional retail developments scheduled to come online in ’14 include South Market District, which will feature upscale apartments and ground floor retail. Additionally, New Orleans East will welcome a new Wal-Mart and Hibbet’s Sports. Magnolia Marketplace is projected to open in ’15 on South Claiborne Avenue and feature national retailers TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Michael’s, PetSmart and Ulta Cosmetics. Miller added, “With over 1.5 million square feet of new retail development to be completed by 2014, New Orleans’ rapid and unprecedented retail growth will create jobs, increase the city’s tax base, provide expanded amenities for residents, and support a vibrant business climate.” – M egan S nider

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CHRONICLES:

Out On a Limb PAGE 64 Christmas tree stories are a big part of holiday memories: those trips to the tree lot as a child, a married couple’s first Christmas together or even a misadventure.

CHERYL GERBER PHOTOGRAPH

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L OCAL C O L O R

While Reveillon dinner has been a tradition for years, chefs have found ways to experiment with ingredients and other parts of the tradition to give a fresh feel to an old custom.

T H E S C O O P

The Resurrection of Reveillon by Jyl C. Benson

‘‘

peace

lo v e

an d

s er v e

the

Lord.” No matter the depths of their devotion, surely the French Creoles of 19th-century New Orleans squirmed on the hard wooden pews in anticipation of the words that would free them to burst through the doors of St. Louis Cathedral and into the chill air of Jackson Square in the wee hours on Christmas morning. That this devout, drama-loving bunch had been fasting since the previous midnight to ready themselves to receive Holy Communion at midnight Mass would have put a bit of zippity do-da in their steps as they rushed through the streets in their holiday finery to get home to the lavish holiday feasts upon which they would sup with their families. The sharing of an opulent meal following the holiday Mass on Christmas Eve and again on New Year’s Eve (the feast day of the French Saint Sylvestre) was a custom 50

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inherited by Louisiana’s Creoles from their European ancestors. Often described as “meals fit for a trip to heaven,” only the most exceptional or luxurious foods would suffice for these gustatory gatherings. While their European brethren broke their fasts on escargots, foie gras and turkey stuffed with chestnuts, the south Louisiana celebrant would have enjoyed a regionally adapted menu of oyster stew or turtle soup; lofty soufflés; rich puddings and custards; cold beef daube glace; smothered medallions of pork or veal; and fragrant roast game, perhaps served in a savory pie. Copious amounts of wine, brandy and cordials would have loosened things up for participants on either side of the pond and candied fruits and fanciful desserts such as bûche de Noël or croquembouche would have completed the meal Kingfish chef Greg Sonnier holds two of his four course Reveillon dinner (left). CRAIG MULCAHY PHOTOGRAPHS

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DECEMBER 2013

and sent the devout tottering off to bed stuffed and satiated, probably as the sun came up. These holiday feasts, known as Reveillons, take their name from the French réveil, which means “awakening” and are so named because participants would have partaken of them as invigorating refreshment after a fast and in so doing would’ve been required to remain awake during uncommon hours. The celebratory 12-course dinners’ early 20th-century demise can, no doubt, be attributed in part to an entirely different, though not unrelated, sort of awakening: The one to which eager children began to subject their tired, Reveillon-ravaged parents with the arrival of sunrise on Christmas morning as American holiday practices overtook the old Creole traditions. By the 1930s, the French Creole tradition of le Reveillon was all but forgotten and New Orleans slid that much closer to becoming just another “American” city. By the 1980s, the city’s regretful slide into homogeneity with the rest of America had ceased and it was generally acknowledged that the key to New Orleans’ future prosperity lie in the embrace of its past. In ’88, French Quarter Festivals, Inc., (FQFI) a nonprofit created to market the historic district to locals, resurrected and evolved the old Creole custom of lavish holiday dinners when it proposed to area restaurants that they offer prix fixe, multi-course “Reveillon” dinner menus during conventional dining hours throughout the holiday season to boost patronage during the historically slow tourism season. What began as a family tradition enjoyed in the home would now be a celebration of fine food available to anyone for the asking. As was required, the original restaurant participants offered menus that honored the old culinary traditions to one degree or another. Oyster,

game and lamb dishes were commonplace and beef daube glace, a relic not found any other time of year, was as reliably present as eggnog and bread pudding. Marci Schramm, executive director of FQFI, says that a committee including chefs, historians and a culinary journalist was charged with approving the many menus submitted for consideration in the heavily promoted Reveillon program. “We have always been picky about this,” Schramm says. “It’s a big commitment for a restaurant: The menu must be luxurious, special. Until last year we also wanted the menus to be traditional. That became a problem.” As the popularity of the Reveillon dinner program grew, many chefs increasingly found the required association with tradition to be confining. “So many of them wanted to experiment with foams, pearls, dusts, artisan ingredients – all those things that make their jobs exciting,” Schramm says. “Last year we relented and the response was tremendous, the creativity amazing. It’s pretty exciting.” Whether contemporary or traditional, Schramm says she’s consistently impressed by the annual Reveillon menu at Commander’s Palace. This year chef Tory McPhail’s six-course contemporary menu ($90) is tricked out with luxuries such as smoked pompano and caviar canapés; a cream soup of ham, brie, parsnips and pears; pannéed flounder, rabbit and foie gras pot pie; game bird cassoulet; and fig and white chocolate torte. A festive Mr. Bingle cocktail rounds out the package. “The details here,” Schramm says, “are astounding. They take a concept that’s so traditional, old school and present it in a fresh, unique way.”

A Menu of Places

“Christmas New Orleans Style,” the citywide holiday celebration of which the Reveillon dinners are a cornerstone, has become popular with tourists who increasingly plan annual getaways to take advantage of bargain “Papa Noel” rates on swanky hotel rooms, several days of Reveillon menu surfing and specialty holiday shopping. Many locals embrace the Reveillon menus as an opportunity to enjoy lavish meals throughout the season at some of the city’s finest restaurants at prices that wouldn’t be possible if ordering à la carte from their regular menus. For example, Brigtsen’s traditional four-course menu at his eponymous Riverbend area restaurant is a bargain at $48 with offerings of oyster chowder with bacon and fennel; sea scallops with acorn squash purée and local citrus marmalade; roasted duck with dirty rice and tart cherries; and eggnog créme brûlée. Beginning Dec. 1, and in some cases continuing even beyond New Year’s Day, 48 restaurants throughout the New Orleans area will offer the four- to six-course, prix fixe Reveillon dinner menus at prices ranging from $34 (The Gumbo Shop, traditional four courses, including a roasted half-duck) to $95 (Restaurant August, traditional, six courses). Many restaurants are

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Arnaud’s is one of the 48 restaurants featuring Reveillon dinners during the holidays.

fancifully adorned in the spirit of the season, some offer a winepairing option with each course and others finish off the meal with flaming, boozy, café brûlot prepared tableside with drama and fanfare that would surely have pleased the early French Creoles. More Details: FollowYourJoy.com

CHERYL GERBER PHOTOGRAPH

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MUSIC

The Christmas List Music as a gift

BY J A SON BE R R Y

he g i ft - s elect i on gu i d e we pro v i d e i n December

draws on polling data that confirm that our readers are happy to spend money, now that the House has reopened government, once more scaling the fiscal cliff and in a necessary mix of metaphor, giving the debt ceiling its eternal boost. (We shall, in the manner of the ancient Greeks, avoid names of Louisiana statesmen with dirty hands.) The products here endorsed will sweeten your mood and keep life humming through January when the D.C. heavies whip up financial paranoia that it takes Mardi Gras to subdue. Let us turn then with a smile to ghosts of jazz times past. Al Rose, the late and fondly remembered author of Storyville, loathed jazz stylizations made after 1940. He considered them a betrayal of New Orleans-style purity. He had a striking disdain for the saxophone’s role in the evolving music. We had some courtly disagreements on that, as my affection for the saxophone stemmed from the proms and dances of yesteryear, and the recording magic of Lee Allen, who put the swing into rock in 1950s rhythm and blues. And so with bebop music, a thrilling ride that curled far out from the R&B highway. The cutting-edge bebop discs of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk never outsold Fats Domino or R&B precursor Louis Jordan. But the seminal boppers generated long waves of influence with accelerated tempos and the impact of Parker’s racing reed lines, fashioning a style that seems ever fresh today. 54

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Stanley Crouch’s new book, Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker (Harper) does a grand job of explaining how it happened by treating his subject like the protagonist in a novel. New Orleans jazz was into its second generation when Charlie Parker came of age in Kansas City during the Depression. “The primacy of the saxophone, paired with the local players’ feeling for the blues, was central to the sound and character of Kansas City jazz,” writes Crouch. “This penchant for saxophones would not only give rise to powerful reed sections that swung, shouted and crooned the blues, but would also prepare the way for local giants of the instrument, men destined to either blow themselves into the pantheon or to arrive in Kansas City on the whirlwind of legend.” Crouch’s portrait of Parker, absorbing the bluesdriven Midwestern style, setting out for New York and securing his status there, is a tale of artistic achievement writ upon the map of mid-century America. Crouch’s riffs on the Pendegrast machine in

CHRISTMAS We know what you’re thinking: “The ‘Duck Dynasty’ family made a Christmas album?” But Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas is better than you think. The album features the voices of the famous Robertson family, but also boasts collaborations with country stars including Luke Bryan and George Strait. There are lots of songs you’ll recognize, such as “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger,” but there are a few new ones, including “Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Christmas,” which Willie Robertson helped write.

JAZZ Wynton Marsalis melds gospel and jazz with his latest album, The Spiritual Side of Wynton Marsalis. The album combines a mix of fast and slow sounds that, according to the album’s liner notes, is “a repetition which represents the New Orleans funeral function – sorrowful but ultimately uplifting.” The album came out in October 2013, the same month Marsalis conducted his “Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration” tour, which took him to theaters and churches around the country.

NOVEL As the son of New Orleans icon Anne Rice, you might think Christopher Rice might be intimidated by high expectations. But at age 35, the Los Angeles-based writer is already a New York Times bestselling author and his latest novel, The Heavens Rise, is creating lots of buzz. The book is set in New Orleans – where Rice grew up – and tells the spooky tale of what happens after the Delongpre family discovers a well on their land.

ESSAYS If you’ve been a longtime reader of New Orleans Magazine, you’ll recognize the name of columnist Carolyn Kolb. Her latest book, New Orleans Memories: One Writer’s City, updates and expands upon previous columns that have been featured in the magazine. Her stories cover memories that many native New Orleanians will share, such as Hubig’s Pies and living on Prytania Street. –Haley ADAMS

Please send submissions for consideration, attention: Haley Adams, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

Kansas City, bootleggers and gangsters are fine cul-de-sacs that curl back to the music story as smoothly as fingers slip into a glove. This one is worth a place in your honey’s holiday stocking even if s/he knows little about bop or swing. It is never too late, or to paraphrase Thomas Wolfe, you can always go home again. The swing influence that powered the big bands of Parker’s era echoes in the album by New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Book One, a showcase of bandleader Irvin Mayfield’s compositions. These nine songs roam across a terrain of musical ideas grounded in the idea of place. “Seventh Ward Blues” is a rolling medium-tempo melody laid out by Victor “Red” Atkins on piano with warm repetitions in the chorus of horns, opening into a series of solos that float along like light shafts pouring down to illuminate a forest road thick with trees. On this album Mayfield makes abundant use of saxophones – four of them: Aaron Fletcher on alto; Norbert Stachel on baritone (and flute); Ed “Sweetbread” Peterson anchoring the tenor; and Derek Douget on tenor and soprano. “Creole Thang” features Evan Christopher’s ethereal clarinet in a sinuous, swirling melody with the orchestral horns in a chorus pushing along, the blend of soloist and full section forming a gorgeous invitation to dancers on a ballroom floor. Irvin Mayfield has made the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra into a cultural institution, a record built on equal parts artistry and long-range budgeting. You can’t field a band of this size without money and that means full-bore fundraising. NOJO’s success is a continuing gift to the city and a credit to Mayfield’s talent as an artist and a businessman. And on this month’s turntable, a special shout-out to Leroy Jones’ Wonderful Christmas: A Brass Salute to the King of Kings. Jones is one of the town’s best jazz trumpeters as demonstrated in

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a string of recordings and a mainstay slot at Preservation Hall and Palm Court. His rubato horn gives special polish to the Christmas standards. His latest album, New Orleans Helsinki Connection: Parades on Earth by Jones and his trombone- swinging better half, Katja Toivola, features her lyrics on the title cut: “Oh New Orleans, oh what a town How good it feels to be Crescent bound To see your friends and taste the food It’s paradise on earth for me.” The band includes: vocalists Tricia Boutté and Yolanda Windsay; Gerald French and Jerry Anderson alternating on drums; Todd Duke on guitar; Paul Lonstretch piano; and Nobu Ozaki and Mitchell Player on bass. With songs such as “High Society,” “Stardust,” and “Didn’t He Ramble,” Paradise on Earth extends the terrain of the New Orleans style Jones grew up with. In Katja Toivola he found good common ground. Allen Toussaint’s Songbook, a live album recorded at Joe’s Pub in New York, is another sign of the composer and studio producer’s post-Katrina resurgence as a performer. The River in Reverse collaboration with Elvis Costello and Toussaint’s subsequent Bright Mississippi join Songbook as the gleaming triad of an artist in the autumn of a storied career. The selections on this album have deep home pull. “It’s Raining” is a staple of Irma Thomas’s repertoire, one of the many compositions Toussaint threw off in a prolific stream in his 20s and 30s. The careful lilts in his phrasing – “about to blow my top” so different from Irma’s stair-step vocals on the same line – thread through the dozen selections on which he sings. Toussaint delivers delightful surprises to words from songs many readers well know, all in the phrasing.

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C A S T O F CH ARAC TERS

A Man and His Hearse Vehicle avoids dead end BY G EO R G E G U R T NE R

ssssst , la d i e s : C hr i s tma s i s almo s t here . A re you

still looking for something to get for that hard-to-shop-for guy in your life? Chill out! Do what Alecia Johnson did – get that guy a hearse! Whether it’s Christmas, a birthday, an anniversary or just a “be nice” gift, ask yourselves this: Have you ever heard anybody riding in a hearse complain? Anybody behind the steering wheel, that is? A hearse is just what Shannon Johnson is driving around in these days, and the guy couldn’t be happier. “In fact, that hearse has made me the happiest guy in the world,” says Shannon Johnson, Alecia’s husband. “I had wanted one for a long time and I could hardly believe it when I finally got ‘Mimi!’” Mimi? “Yes, Mimi,” says Alecia. “When Shannon first brought it home and put it in the garage it was screaming, ‘Mimi’! ‘Mimi!’ After that, what else could we name it?” “It was just the belts whining and it sounded like it was saying, ‘Mimi’ ‘Mimi,’” Shannon says. That whining was music to Shannon’s ears. You can tell by the wide grin on his face as he stares out at the monstrously long primer gray 1984 Cadillac 58

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hearse parked just outside the window of the St. John’s Coffee House in downtown Covington. And don’t get the idea that the Johnsons went out and bought Mimi just to jump on the zombie craze that, for whatever reason, is crawling over the nation. Mimi became part of their lives long before the “Walking Dead” ended up as a hit television program. Still, they must admit, the circumstances surrounding the purchase were a little eerie. “I like to be different than anybody else,” Shannon says, and somehow you don’t have any problem believing him. “And I just like different things … things you don’t see all the time. And I really wanted a hearse. I had that dream for a long time. I wanted to own one before I was 40 years old.” He continues, “I went on eBay and all the rest of the shopping things like that. But I just couldn’t find anything, nothing that I was really hot on anyway.” So, out of desperation, where would one go to

find a hearse? “Finally, I went to one of the local funeral homes. And there it was, just sitting in the back of the place. I went in and talked to the owner. I fell in love with it – a 1984 Cadillac. I asked the man how much he wanted. What was absolutely the least he would take for it? He said $1,500.” There was one little problem: Shannon was unemployed and his wallet was suffering from the shorts. But in a twist of macabre fate, the pieces began falling into place. “My father was in the military and he had passed away,” says Alecia. “That was at the end of July 2010. I was supposed to get his final retirement check, but didn’t because of some family squabbles. Well, Shannon went back to the funeral home and the man was holding firm on his price: $1,500. We left the funeral home and went to our home and waiting for us in the mailbox was a check for $1,556.36 – my father’s final retirement check. It had to be fate!” She continues, “I told Shannon this was a sign that you were meant to have this hearse. I cashed the check immediately and handed him the cash and told him, ‘You go over there right now and get your baby.’” “After I went over to get the hearse I realized it had a few problems,” Shannon says. “I talked to the guy and he dropped the price to $1,300. That’s what I bought it for. I used the extra money to buy new tires.” Johnson also decked out Mimi with the now familiar official Louisiana license plate that reads “EXPIRED,” biohazard circles placed at strategic spots around the hearse and the words “Zombie Apocalypse Response Unit.” He is also building a big block 454 cubic inch engine to give Mimi a lot more pep. But, according to Alecia, the odd bond between Shannon and Mimi isn’t about just indulging a grown man’s mid-life wishes. “Shannon has severe rheumatoid arthritis and he can’t work,” she says. “He has to do something to stay active. He can’t just sit on a couch all day long. When I saw how he fell in love with this hearse, I knew it was just the thing to get him to get up and start moving, stay active. Mimi is keeping him busy – and healthy.” To be sure, Shannon has other automobiles that keep him tinkering and busy all day long. But in the end, it’s Mimi that has his heart. It is Mimi he chooses to tool around in, up and down Collins Boulevard, back and forth over the Causeway, to the Friday night block parties at the Tap Room in Covington, and don’t forget the charity events such as the St. Jude Hospital and “Trunk or Treat” for kids who can’t get out to trick or treat on Halloween. “At the St. Jude event, they actually sold tickets to come out and see Mimi,” Alecia says. “We do it all for free … and we love it. And I can’t tell you the number of people who have come up and wanted to buy Mimi or ask if they can rent her for a party or ask to have their picture taken with it. It’s fabulous!” A middle-aged couple stops on Columbia Street outside the coffee shop to stare at the hearse. The guy, who says his name is John and that he and his wife drove over from New Orleans to visit friends, pulls his camera from his pocket and gets a photo of his wife alongside Mimi. Shannon and Alecia Johnson have seen it all before. “We have people following us around all the time,” Shannon says. “They stop us in parking lots to take pictures. They yell and wave at us. They smile and give us a thumbs-up. When you stop and think of it, it’s amazing. Here’s a vehicle, being a hearse that has known so much heartbreak, but here it is in its new life bringing smiles to so many people.” Not the least of to whom is the man sitting next to her at a table at St. John’s Coffee House in Covington. myneworleans.com

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M O D I N E’S N EW O RLEAN S

Sweating Over Christmas Sweaters BY M O D I NE G U N C H

mother - i n - law

Ms.

L ar d a

ju s t

lo v e s

Christmas sweaters. And you can get them real cheap at garage sales, since the rest of the human race evidently decided, all at once, that Christmas sweaters are ugly. But Ms. Larda don’t think they’re ugly. “How can Rudolph be ugly? Or Frosty? Or Santa with a nose that lights up because of a AAA battery pack hidden in somebody’s cleavage?” she says to me. “Now I think ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’ would be ugly, but I never seen no sweater that shows that.” So I go every year to a few garage sales and pick out a Christmas sweater to gift Ms. Larda with. I used to just give them to her. But now we got to gift things to people. Which means you put it in a gift bag instead of just wrapping it up in Christmas paper. Anyway, her annual sweater has become a little tradition between the two of us. When the Gunches all open presents after Christmas dinner, she takes her sweater out of the gift bag and immediately goes to the bedroom, strips off last year’s sweater, wriggles into this year’s and wears it for the rest of the day. But I guess Christmas sweaters have been out of style for a little too long, because the supply of them at garage sales dried up last year – at least in XXXL, which is her size. It was getting closer and closer to Christmas, and finally garage sales stopped being held at all. In that home stretch before Christmas, I guess everybody is too busy buying the stuff that would wind up in next year’s garage sales to hold one now. This is when I made my Big Mistake. I mentioned the problem to my son Gargoyle. Gargoyle has grown into a young man, so naturally he has a warped sense of humor. I forgot that for a crucial minute. He offers to get me one on eBay, and, like a fool, I say, “You can do that?” and he does. He tells me he found a real classy one – if you can use classy to describe a Christmas sweater. It is starlight blue, with a snow scene that stretches in a wide white band across the chest area, and you can see the silhouettes of little reindeer romping across the new-fallen snow. He had to order it quick before he got outbid, he said. That should have tipped me off. I know my son. But I was too busy doing my regular Christmas shopping to think twice about it. I start to worry the week before Christmas when no sweater has turned up. I tell Gargoyle and he goes online and tracks it, and he says it’ll show up Christmas Eve. That is cutting it way too close, but what can I do? And then, first thing Christmas Eve morning, the package arrives. I am so happy, I do a little dance while me and my daughter Gladiola rip it open. Gargoyle, who’s home for Christmas, comes in from the kitchen with a cup of coffee. I hold it up, and we all three gaze at it. I have to admit it does look classy, and the colors are gorgeous. I am just about to say how beautiful it is, when I notice Gargoyle’s lips are twitching. So I look at this sweater again, real hard. And then I see. The reindeer silhouettes. They aren’t romping. They are doing what reindeer do to make little baby reindeer. And this is going to be stretched across my mother-in-law’s boobs. On Christmas! I start yelling at Gargoyle and he’s actually surprised. Turns out, he thought me and Ms. Larda were both so naive, we wouldn’t realize what one reindeer on top of another reindeer was up to. He actually thought it would his own

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little private joke. “Why does every generation think they invented s-e-x? How do you think you all got here? Immaculate conceptions?” I ask him. Anyway, he and Gladiola try thinking of ways to fix it. Get a plain sweater, sew doilies on it and call them snowflakes? Put red bows all over it? I happen to look down at my tree skirt, which is made out of felt with big dancing snowmen, and I see what just might work. I rush this skirt over to my friend Awlette, who can sew, and she cuts off the snowmen and sews them over those frisky reindeer. It ain’t what you call gorgeous, but I seen worse Christmas sweaters. I am out of a tree skirt, but I can use Gargoyle’s red bathrobe for that. Anyway, on Christmas Day Ms. Larda puts it on, thanks me and wears it around all day. I breathe a big sigh of relief and go home merry. The next day, I get a call from Ms. Larda. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but there’s something about this sweater, Modine,” she says to me. Uh-oh. “I picked up Chopsley (that’s her Chihuahua) and he caught his claw in one of them snowmen and ripped it off. So I sat down to sew it back on, and you wouldn’t believe ...” I start apologizing, but then I realize she’s laughing. Guffawing, even. “It’s going to be a big hit at the Banana Peel Club New Year’s Eve party,” she says. I am scandalized. “Ms. Larda!” I say, “You can’t go out with no misbehaving reindeer across your boobs.” “Why does every generation think they invented s-e-x?” she says to me. “Besides, the way this sweater fits, these reindeer are in my armpits. I got to lift up my arm if I want to shock somebody. “I’m ready to do some shocking.” I don’t ever want to know nothing about that New Year’s Eve Party. Happy 2014. L O R I O SI E C K I I L L U S T R A T I O N

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

J OIE D’ E V E

BLOGS FROM THE NEW NEW ORLEANS

d on ’ t ha v e a whole lot of “ cau s e s . ” I

Yes, I Am Still Nursing

don’t generally get involved in political campaigns, I’m very casual about religion and I pride myself on being able to see the other side in almost every argument. But there are a few things I’m definitely passionate about: my kids; my immediate family; New Orleans; coffee; “Gilmore Girls;” grammar and language; and children’s literature (subBY E V E C ra w f o rd P e y t o n set: Babysitters Club, Little House on the Prairie, all Judy Blume); and, honestly, breastfeeding. I understand that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for these things. I have three entire seasons of “Gilmore Girls” saved on my DVR in the dual vain hopes that a) my husband will come to me one day and say: “Baby, I was wrong about how annoying I find the fast-talking. Please, please share the quirky, quippy world of Stars Hollow with me.” and b) we would actually have the time, ever, to sit down and watch it uninterrupted. But I don’t really expect this to happen, nor do I imagine I’ll one day find him curled up under the covers with Dawn and the Impossible Three. Ruby, as I have lamented before, has no use for Little House on the Prairie; my mom hates coffee; and I have friends who would never want to live in New Orleans or send their kids to public school. I am fine with all of this. Likewise, I’m passionate about breastfeeding, but I absolutely don’t care if people feed their babies formula. It sort of baffles me at 6 months? Good for you; you gave it a good run. that this is such a huge debate in the first place. You feed your kids; I’ll feed Still nursing your kindergartner? I am glad it works mine; the end. I am no more bothered by someone feeding a baby formula than for you. I am by someone not laughing at my (clearly hilarious) grammar jokes. But seriously: Stop telling me when to stop nursing But I’m surprised by how weird I feel about the fact that Georgia is almost 17 my baby. months and still nursing. I don’t feel weird about it personally – I love nursing I think what brought this to the fore for me is her and have no concrete plans to stop. But I feel weird telling people about it that I just had a nasty bout of mastitis, and I was because I get raised eyebrows and well-meaning but nosy questions. surprised by how reluctant I was to tell people what “Is she still nursing?” a friend of mine asked recently when Georgia started was wrong with me. “Oh, I had a fever and was tugging at my blouse. just under the weather generally,” I said vaguely to “When are you going to wean?” asked another, adding warily, “She sure has anyone who inquired as to my wellbeing. Again, it a lot of teeth!” wasn’t modesty – look at me, discussing my boobs Yes, she’s still nursing, and regardless of how many teeth she has, I plan to with the entire readership of this magazine – so wean her some time between tomorrow and when she starts college. I mean, much as it was hesitance to have to explain and honestly? She is still so tiny! And it’s none of your business! defend my breastfeeding choices. I have never been much on nursing in public (not because I’m modest but Having causes, though, necessarily means being because I’m so conflict-avoidant that I have no idea what I would do if somebrave enough to stand up for them. So yes! Yes, I one said something to me), but now that she’s over a year, I would never do am still breastfeeding. It isn’t National Breastfeeding it. Based on the comments I get from friends and family, I can’t even imagine Week or anything, but Personal Just Got Over what unpleasant strangers might say, and the truth is, she doesn’t need to nurse Mastitis Week is a good enough reason, I guess, to in public anymore – she doesn’t nurse for nutrition now so much as for comfort. express my commitment. And I love that. I love that I can comfort her so easily. I have heard a lot of You are allowed to think this is weird – hell, a lot parents say a lot of silly things (myself entirely included), but one of the silliof things about me are weird. It would be cool if est things that I hear the most regarding nursing is that “when babies are old more people could open their minds about breastenough to ask for it, they’re too old.” That has never made one bit of sense to feeding, but if they can’t open their minds, they me. When Georgia asks for a cracker, I give her a cracker. When she asks for can at least shut their mouths. So please don’t say a hug, I give her a hug. In what universe does it make sense to deny toddlers anything nasty to me or any other nursing women, something simply because they are able to articulate that they want it? It is like no matter how old their nurslings are. We might say punishing them for language development – something we should be celebratsomething nasty right back. And you know what? ing. Besides, even nonverbal newborns can “ask for it.” That is why infants root You would’ve been asking for it. and nuzzle and chew on their adorable itty-bitty hands. Every mother sets her own guidelines for if and when and how long she’ll breastfeed, so trying to have some sort of universal rule about how old is too old Excerpted from Eve Kidd Crawford’s blog, Joie d’Eve, is just bound to fail. You don’t want to nurse? OK with me. Tried to nurse but which appears each Friday on MyNewOrleans.com. For couldn’t? I am so sorry; please don’t beat yourself up about it. Ready to wean comments: Info@NewOrleansMagazine.com. 62

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C H R O N I C LES

Out On a Limb New Orleanians treasure their Christmas trees B y C ar o l y n K o l b

v ery fam i ly w i th a C hr i s tma s tree ha s i t s s hare here and sold them at the school – it was a lot of fun. of Christmas tree stories. But first, you have to find that tree. And, we made $25,000 – the money went to redo Professional forester Adrian Juttner was a leader of an Explorer the football field and buy some computers.” Profits Scout Troop at the First Unitarian Church when he came up with went down the next year when some trees were a fundraising idea that lasted for years: selling Christmas trees. “The first year purchased to fill up the truck. After that? we took my truck up to Floyd, Va., where I knew a man with Christmas trees. I “Well, the Christmas tree farm was gone. We had cut them with a chain saw, the kids loaded the truck and we’d sell them at the cut all the trees down.” church – they’d get 20 percent of whatever we made, and use it for Scout trips.” Christmas tree choices might change with the Today the troop is gone, but the church still has its own tree sales. A Cut Above Jack White had a brief career in Buy your tree and do a good deed! Shop Christmas trees. “My mother passed at these annual charitable locations: First away, leaving my brother Hunter and Unitarian Church on South Claiborne Avenue me a home in New Hampshire with a at Jefferson Avenue will be stocked with trees, Christmas tree farm on the back side.” It and the annual sale begins the weekend folwasn’t a profitable operation: “The bill lowing Thanksgiving. Holy Name of Jesus for cutting the trees was $100 more than School at 6325 Cromwell Place at Calhoun the tree sales.” Street has a Christmas tree sale the first weekThe White children were at Metairie end in December. Assistant Principal Marnie Park Country Day School, so the trees preWoynowski says that brownies, hot chocolate and scented candles will also be available. sented a fundraising opportunity. “We cut Trinity Episcopal School at Jackson Avenue at Chestnut Street takes early orders for everall we could, we brought them all down green garlands and wreaths, but there are always a few extras available from Dec. 2 through 6.

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years. “Michael is Jewish and I’m Catholic, so I was the Christmas tree girl,” Peggy Nius says about her deal with her husband. When the kids grew up, the Nius tree disappeared. “Now, I decorate houseplants with lights: one year we used a ficus tree,” Peggy says. The tradition of trees does continue: “My daughter lives here and periodically she’ll come and raid my old boxes of ornaments. My son lives in Charleston and he decorates a palm tree.” Cheryl Johnson’s tree memories don’t involve evergreens. “After the house was completely cleaned from top to bottom, the box, which contained the tree, was removed from the attic. In addition to the three-part center pole, there were 50 or so silver limbs stored in individual paper sleeves.” “We would place each limb into the pole (which contained small holes) until completed. In the end, there stood a tall silver Christmas tree,” Johnson says. “My mom would change the ornaments from year to year, but with only a single color. Finally, there was the color wheel, which rotated all night and made that silver tree sparkle.” Children’s holiday memories often involve a Christmas tree. Mary Lee Burke remembers that, “my parents put up the tree on Christmas Eve, and we didn’t know it was there until Christmas morning. I was 3, and elected myself ladder climber to put an ornament on, way up high.” It wasn’t a wise choice. “Of course I slipped off the ladder, then grabbed the tree. I had an easy descent, but then the whole tree was on the ground,” she remembers. “I immediately burst into tears so nobody would be mad, but my mother was too smart for me. She just looked at me and said, ‘Stop crying, you’re not hurt.’ “And I stopped.” The young married couple with a Christmas tree can be a heartwarming story. In Karen Perschall’s case, “I was a young woman recreating all of my fantasies. I dragged my husband around looking for the perfect, large tree, and I got it.” The Perschall home wasn’t large, but the ceiling in the living room reached 12 feet. “We got the tree in, but we had to take three feet off the top. Then the branches touched all the walls. We finally cut it in half; pushed it against a wall. We had it almost decorated, and our cats climbed up and knocked it over.” After the tree fell over for the third time, “my husband went out, he got four inch nails and he nailed the tree and the stand to the floor. He said ‘It will not fall again.’” “He was correct. It took three people to dig it out later.” But the ultimate New Orleans Christmas tree story might just be one that echoes the past. Ann Masson, architectural historian, and her late husband Frank had an annual party. From her work as director of Gallier House she had become an expert on historic Christmas customs. “I decided to do a tree with candles on it. I decorated with all the traditional things I could find; I wrapped presents and put them in the boughs of the tree. Then I lighted the candles.” As she remembered, “It was truly beautiful, the tree in candlelight, in the dark house. Everybody clapped.” But, a few minutes later, “I was standing alone near the tree when all of a sudden I smelled something. A candle had caught a branch. “I had read in these 19th century housekeeping books that you were to stand by with a bucket of water and a sponge tied to a stick,” she continues. “And, I had set that up, just like I had at Gallier House.” She acted quickly. “Lo and behold, I had to reach down into the bucket and throw handfuls of water. Luckily the tree was really fresh and I got it put out.” “A little while later Frank walked by and said, ‘I guess you got by on the tree OK … except for that little burned place.’” myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

L OCAL C O L O R

HOME

Turning the Pages There are many chapters to Christmas at this English Turn home. BY BONN I E W A R R EN ph o t o graph e d b y c H E R YL G E R BE R

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ach C hr i s tma s s ea s on a s tatue of a pel i can a d orne d

with a big red bow greets you near the front door of the English Turn home of Nancy Calhoun. Look up and you’ll see massive Corinthian columns and the banisters on the broad balcony draped with holiday greenery attached by red bows. Even the unique widow’s walk surrounding the rooftop copula is decked with garland and bows. Enter with joy, because here’s a home where Christmas is celebrated to its fullest. Built in the Greek Revival style of great plantation mansions, the unique home was completed 20 years ago by Nancy and her late husband Dr. Milburn Calhoun. Hugging the banks of a lazy lagoon with a vast pastoral view of the green space beyond, the home is a showplace that was designed by architect George D. Hopkins (The Hopkins Company Architects). “A great deal of planning and thought went in to everything in our home from the selection of the lot to the exterior and interior design,” says Nancy, who’s still active in Pelican Publishing Company, one of the premiere mid-sized publishing operations in the country that was guided to its current success by her husband, who was also a practicing physician. “Christmas is the time of the year when I look forward to the tall tree going up in the living room and house being dressed in all its holiday glory,” Nancy says. “We love to share Christmas with family and friends, and we planned our home to make sure we had plenty of room to enjoy holiday entertaining. “It is a happy time when the Christmas ritual of decorating the tree with ornaments of special sentimental importance occurs.” The top of the tree still has the same lighted star that once belonged to her mother, and she cherishes the original box that has a pricetag of 25-cents attached to the top. Nancy’s four granddaughters – Susan, Leslie, Sophia and

Facing page: Holiday dressing for the foyer and stairway includes a nutcracker sentry guarding the library door with garland and red bows dressing the banister on the stairway and balcony that overlook the two-story living room. This page, top: The clear view of the nearby lagoon and green space beyond is evident through the French doors that open onto the rear veranda. Left: Designed by architect George D. Hopkins Jr., the Greek Revival-style home in English Turn features Corinthian columns and a cupola surrounded by a widow’s walk.

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DECEMBER 2013

Heather Calhoun – have contributed meaningful ornaments to the tree, as has Sharon, her daughter-in-law, and David, her son, who’s a professor of philosophy at Gonzaga University. Kathleen Nettleton, Nancy’s daughter (and president of Pelican Publishing Company) and Carl, Kathleen’s husband, have also added their share of ornaments over the years. “I just smile when Lori Ryan Solano (of Fancy Flowers), who has done the decorating of the house for Christmas for years, suggests a theme for our tree,” Nancy says. “’No, Lori, we never do themes – we fondly do memories for our tree.” The festive holiday home especially comes to life when family and friends gather after the Christmas Eve service at church to open their presents under the tree. Happy voices join in the singing traditional Christmas carols and a grand meal completes the day. “On Christmas morning we explore the contents of our individual stockings that hang from the circular stairway. There is always a special excitement to see what each stocking holds,” Nancy says. “Every corner of the living room is filled with happy voices and laughter, and while the dining room may be center stage for meals, even Milburn’s large desk in the library does double duty as a dining table, along with the breakfast room table, and even card tables are sometimes called in to service.” Christmas highlights the uniqueness of the house with the library, Milburn’s favorite space and the piece de resistance of the 68

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design, dressed with garland and red bows. The two-story space just inside the front door is complete with the winding staircase that was fashioned after the one in the movie My Fair Lady, and a 1780 15-foot wide, mahogany breakfront/bookcase that was purchased long before the home was built and carefully stored just waiting for its perfect home. The floor-to-ceiling bookcases on both levels that house the couple’s library of thousands of books get a special Christmas face with garland and red bows. “There is much I enjoy about our home, but my favorite feature is the open floor plan that provides an unobstructed view from the front door, past the winding staircase,” Nancy says. “The view embraces the main living space with its 20-foot high ceiling and two levels of arched windows that overlook the veranda and the beautiful view of the lagoon and green space beyond.” She continues, “This is a home that was meant to be shared with family and friends. It seems to especially welcome and embrace you at Christmastime. To me just stepping inside the home says ‘Welcome – come inside and enjoy Christmas.’” Top left: The dining room table is covered in a festive green tablecloth in keeping with the holiday season. Top right: The winding staircase in the library was inspired by the one in the movie My Fair Lady. Left: Nancy Calhoun under the ceiling of the cupola in her English Turn home that was fashioned from cypress cut from trees that had to be cleared to build the house.

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DINING LISTINGS TABLE TALK:

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District Donuts Sliders and Brew fits right into an area of eclectic boutiques and dining options.

District Donuts Sliders and Brew pastry chef Liz Hollinger

Jeffery Johnston Photograph

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crumbles spooned over the top. This all sounds daring, I know. And these are just a few of the addictive preDistrict Donuts Sliders and Brew’s mium doughnuts you’ll find here. Vietnamese iced coffee donut A trio of partners put the project together. Aaron Vogel, Chris Audler and Stephen Cali were tossing around ideas for places that would add value to the neighborhood and provide it with something new. Among them was a donut shop. “We wanted to do a craft-style donut place where they were made from scratch all day long,” says co-owner Vogel. “And when we found this space we fell in love with it and then we tailored our concept around it.” They had a lot of work ahead. Previously a retail establishment, when they first walked in it was brick walls and a cement floor. They ran a hood up three stories, had to tear up some of the cement slab to run gas pipes and add air handling. Vogel tapped a 23-year-old friend and NOCCA grad to build out the sign, cabinets, bar, tables and chairs. The result is a space with a “farmhouse industrial feel” – lots of warm and dark colors and wood throughout but with the mechanical stuff exposed. Once they’d zeroed in on doughnuts, the rest of the concept fell into place. Recognizing that doughnuts would not capture lunch and dinner, they settled on sliders to keep the seats filled. Along with the basic burger sliders, they offer a vegetarian version (recently lemongrass tofu dressed with Bibb lettuce) and a few specialty options, like a pork belly slider and one with oxtail and a horseradish cream sauce. Coffee was a natural complement to their doughnuts. 1000 Faces Coffee out of Athens, Ga., supplies their beans. They have a finely tuned coffee program differentiated with a couple of unique concoctions, in particular their Nitro cold brewed iced coffee on By Jay Forman tap, which is kegged and shot through with nitrogen, resulting in a head that cascades downward similar to Guinness Stout. Chocolate milk on tap and highcollection of neighborhoods collide near quality Maine Root soda round out the drinks. the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Magazine Street, where Finally, don’t let the “brew” in their name throw the Irish Channel, the Garden District and Coliseum Square shatyou off – they don’t have a liquor license and it is ter into a streetscape of awkward diagonals and one-way streets. BYOB but they offer a speed-chiller for bottles and Fittingly, the dining options here are as eclectic as the indie boutiques that Stein’s Deli next door offers a tremendous range of pepper this stretch of lower Magazine. And along with the established players quality beers. And for the truly broke, Jewel Food comes a host of newcomers that add additional dimensions to the mix. Store is nearby. District Donuts Sliders and Brew opened in mid-October and shares a common A block down from District Donuts and Sliders wall with Stein’s Deli. Their Vietnamese iced coffee doughnuts are filled with is Nile Ethiopian Restaurant. A welcome addition to condensed milk pastry cream and black tapioca pearls, then topped with coffee an underrepresented cuisine in New Orleans, Nile glaze and chicory powder. Their French toast doughnuts are stuffed with mapleoffers a menu roughly split between tibs (sautéed mascarpone cream and have macerated strawberries and candied brown sugar

Lower Magazine Where cultures intersect

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J EFFERY J OHNSTON P HOTOGRA P H

dishes) and wots (saucy, stew-like 3 Newly Notables options). Both are served with injera, District Donuts a slightly sour, spongy flatbread that Sliders and Brew doubles as a utensil. Traditionally din2209 Magazine St. ers tear off bits and use it to scoop up 570-6945 portions of the dishes, but flatware is DonutsAndSliders.com offered as well. Breakfast, lunch and dinNile also offers vegetarians an array ner daily of complexly seasoned items, buttressNile Ethiopian Cuisine ing another underserved niche in the 2130 Magazine St. local dining scene. To sample a selec281-0859 tion of the multifaceted options, try NileNewOrleans.com the yetsom beyaynetu, which offers a Lunch and dinner daily cross section of most of the vegetarian HiVolt options. These include a beet salad as 1829 Sophie Wright Place well as a curried vegetable stew. Also 324-8818 good is the gomen, a soul food-like HiVoltCoffee.com dish of stewed greens spiced with hot Breakfast, lunch and light peppers. Carnivores will enjoy the key dinner Mondays through wot, a lamb stew cooked in berbere Fridays; breakfast and sauce – a cornerstone seasoning blend lunch on Sundays of chili peppers, garlic, ginger, dried basil and fenugreek, among other spices. A beef version is offered as well. The clean, spacious restaurant doesn’t have a liquor license, but offers a BYOB policy. The owners of newcomer HiVolt, a block past where Magazine Street splits into a one-way street, did a terrific job with their build-out, renovating a long-vacant building into a modernist hangout with distinct ovoid windows and a mid-century modernist vibe. Admittedly more of a coffee shop than a restaurant, it does offer a shortlist of creative vegetarian and gluten-free offerings, along with a token meat dish, to complement its highoctane coffee program. The menu breaks down along toast, breakfast and sandwich options, as well as pastries from a small case. Some creative choices include their PBC&J (peanut butter, coconut shavings and fresh-sliced jalapeño) and their ATO (avocado, tomato, onion and walnut oil). A roast beef sandwich is on there to assuage carnivores, and a short list of smoothies, soups and salads round out the fare. Bellegarde Bakery provides the bread. But the focus here should really be on the coffee. Beans are sourced from Counter Culture Coffee out of Atlanta, and extractions are done in a number of ways. Along with the usual array of espresso-based drinks, they do pour over – my personal favorite way to get to know a bean. If available, try an Ethiopian with its naturally distinct blueberry notes. A couple of interesting colddrip preparations are offered, most notably the Oji Drip that comes from a centerpiece extraction contraption that looks a bit like a steampunk grandfather clock.

G O N O L A . c o m P HOTOGRA P H

In the Neighborhood Neighborhood favorite Stein’s Deli is arguably the best New York-style deli in the city and has a synergistic relationship with District Donuts and Sliders – lots of patrons buy beer at the former to drink at the later. A pair of Vietnamese establishments (Lilly and Pho Noi Viet) tempt with their fragrant pho. Finally, offbeat dessert and wrap destination Honeydeaux offers shaved ice concoctions, bubble tea and healthy smoothies. myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

T HE M E N U

R E S T A U R A N T IN SID ER

Marti’s, Domenica on Magazine and More

Marti’s

B Y RO B E R T P E Y T ON

Pizza Domenica’s chef Alon Shaya

Chefs John Besh and Alon Shaya plan to open an offshoot of their restaurant in the Roosevelt Hotel, Domenica, this spring. The restaurant will primarily serve pizza and, fittingly, will be called Pizza Domenica. The restaurant will take over space at 4933 Magazine St., just down from the former Vizard’s location where, coincidentally, Gautreau’s owner Patrick Singley and chef Sue Zemanick plan to open a casual, small plates restaurant called Ivy. No firm word on a date for Pizza Domenica to open, but you might try calling Domenica at 648-6020 as Carnival approaches.

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nostalgia. Appetizers such as spinach and frisee salad with lardons, pommes frites with house-made mayonnaise and ketchup and blue crab bisque are bistro standards, as could be the duck confit, flat iron steak and pan-fried speckled trout on the entrée side of the card. There is another section of the menu devoted to shellfish, both raw and cooked, including raw and roasted oysters, and Maine lobster and blue crab salad. Desserts, like the rest of the menu, tend toward the casual – cappucino and

beignets; warm poached pear and ricotta tartlet; hazelnut biscotti; and a changing assortment of ice creams are options. Marti’s is, as I write, open Wednesdays through Sundays starting at 5 p.m., but the plan is to open seven days a week. Valet

parking is available. The restaurant stays open as late as midnight, but I’m not sure I’d pop in at 11:45 on a Tuesday night and expect a multi-course meal. Then again, perhaps you should; the best way to find out if that’s an option is to call 522-5478 and ask.

A few years ago Thomas Peters took some guys out on a fishing charter, one of whom was Edgar Caro. Caro owns the Columbian restaurant Barú, and the two struck up a friendship. Earlier this year Peters and Caro opened Basin Seafood & Spirits at 3222 Magazine St., with a menu that combines classic Louisiana dishes with preparations Basin Seafood’s from South America. For example, charbroiled oysters smoked snapper dip is on the appetizer menu right next to tiradito, a Peruvian dish of raw fish seasoned with chile and lemon. At lunch you can order fried seafood poor boys in addition to raw and charbroiled oysters, and a crab salad with roasted corn, cilantro crema, fresh hearts of palm and a citrus vinaigrette. Peters told me that they plan to host crawfish boils in the restaurant’s back patio as well. Basin is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 5 to 10 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursdays, until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 9 p.m. on Sundays. Call 3027391 to find out what’s fresh or to make a reservation.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email rdpeyton@gmail.com

SARA ESSE X BRADLEY P HOTOGRA P HS

The original Marti’s closed the year after I graduated high school and I never dined there. The restaurant was located at 1041 Dumaine St., at the corner of Rampart Street, a location I associated with chef Ann Kearney’s Peristyle. The space has been dormant since chef Tom Wolfe closed his eponymous restaurant in 2009. Though I never ate at Marti’s, it had a reputation as one of the first and best bistro-style restaurants in town. Patrick Singley, who operates Gautreau’s, recently re-opened Marti’s with chef Drew Lockett in charge of the kitchen, and it appears he chose the name as much for the style of food as

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FOOD

All the Creatures Were Stirring Cooking for the holidays

Crostini with mushrooms, prosciutto and blue cheese

by Dale Curry

was never one to get ready for Christmas early, at least not before Dec. 1. There is shopping, decorating and cooking to do, but the mood doesn’t strike me until one of the radio stations starts playing holiday music. It used to start on the first day of December but now begins at Thanksgiving. This year we visited friends in New York in October, and she was starting Christmas preparations the week we left, which was October 14. I couldn’t believe it, but I benefitted by snatching some of her recipes. She has a Christmas party for 100 people and prepares all of the food herself. One year she put up seven Christmas trees inside and out. One Valentine’s Day, she made chocolate crêpes for 100 people. They call her the Martha Stewart of Westchester. She says my mother was one of her influences, and that’s understandable since my mother once said she started Christmas shopping in

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E U GENIA U HL P HOTOGRA P H

September. That was followed by a remark from my father-in-law who said, “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” It didn’t rub off on me, nor has anyone ever called me Martha Stewart. I have experimented with some of my Big Apple recipes and find them worthy of the Big Easy. It is nice to have a big party during the holidays, but whether you do or not, it’s fun to have party food around for those who drop in – or to give as Christmas presents or take as hostess gifts. I have two favorite nut recipes: rosemary walnuts and toasted pecans. A friend recently shared a superb cashew recipe for which I will be ever grateful. These make great gifts in little holiday tins. The best thing about my New York recipes is that they’re easy and fast to make. And, who isn’t looking for that? It is almost Christmas; I’ll have to make the nut recipes soon to give for presents, but the rest of my party cooking can be done at the last minute. Just my style.

Baked Crab Dip 1/2 cup mayonnaise 8 ounces whipped cream cheese, at room temperature 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 2 green onions, minced 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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1 teaspoon or more Tabasco Salt and Creole seasoning to taste 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shell 1/2 cup or more Panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

Mix mayonnaise and cream cheese well in a medium bowl.

Stir in red pepper, parsley and onions. Add lemon juice, Tabasco and seasonings. Mix well. Gently stir in crabmeat and place in a 7-by-9-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and lemon zest. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Just before baking, sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and bake on an upper rack in the oven until breadcrumbs are lightly browned and dip is bubbling, about 12 minutes. Serve hot with crostini, pita chips, wonton crisps, Melba toasts or bread sticks. Note: The dip can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. When ready to serve, sprinkle on breadcrumbs and heat. Serves 10 to 12

Salmon Pizza 1 Boboli thin-crust pizza crust (found in the bread section of the grocery)

1 4-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cup sour cream 1 4-ounce package smoked salmon Chives, dill, capers and red onion for decoration

Mix cream cheese and sour cream. Smooth on the back side of the Boboli crust. Cover with pieces of salmon. Cut into 10 pieces like you would cut a pizza, and decorate with the chives, dill, capers and thinly sliced pieces of red onion. Serves 10

Crostini With Mushrooms, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese This recipe was handed down from person-to-person, after appearing in Bon Appetit in 2002. 3 Tablespoons butter 1/2 ounce fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps chopped 4 ounces crimini mushrooms, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup chopped thinly sliced prosciutto (about 2 1/2 ounces) 18 1/2-inch-thick diagonal bread slices, cut from 1 sourdough baguette Chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms and garlic, and sauté until mushrooms are cooked through and brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add cream and boil until liquid is completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add blue cheese and stir until cheese melts. Mix in prosciutto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom topping to bowl. (Mushroom topping can be done one day in advance.) Cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet. Bake until just golden, about 5 minutes. Mound 1 gen-

erous Tablespoon mushroom topping on each slice. Return to oven. Bake until topping is heated through, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. Serves 18

Toasted Pecans 4 Tablespoons butter Salt to taste 3 cups pecan halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 10-by-13-inch baking pan and melt in oven. Add pecans and salt, and toss until pecans are fully coated. Roast in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, or until pecans are browning slightly and smelling toasted. Makes 3 cups

Rosemary Walnuts I’ve been using the following recipe for years, and everyone always wants it; it’s from Fast Appetizers by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison.

2 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons dried rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter sizzles but hasn’t browned, add all remaining ingredients. When nuts are evenly coated, transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place nuts in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Leave nuts on the pan and let cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature. Note: You can transfer nuts to a zip-close bag and store in the freezer. This recipe can be completed to this point up to 3 months before serving. Makes 2 cups

Ina Garten of the Food Network. She happens to be my favorite cook on the network; no wonder I liked them so much. 1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts 2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 Tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they’re warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary cayenne, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss cashews with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm. Makes 3 cups

Rosemary Roasted Cashews A friend got this recipe from a friend and then tracked it back to

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The Charm of the Season B Y T I M M C NALLY

o one can accuse New Orleans of not having

any charm – we practically ooze charm from our every pore. We are also a town populated by great folks; ask anyone if we aren’t among the most charming folks on the planet. One of the things we do really well is celebrate unique situations, and that becomes a challenge when everyone else in every part of the world is also celebrating. For everyone everywhere, it becomes a contest to see who can celebrate the holiday season with the most gusto. Sure, New York has their huge balloons; Hollywood has a parade peppered with people who we’ve all seen in movies and on television; Chicago has shop windows decorated to the extreme; and even Miami strings a few lights through palm trees, just to show they’re trying. Yet here, in the festival capital of America – maybe the world – we’re simply bereft of ideas about how to publicly rejoice. Creole Christmas is a fine idea. Caroling in Jackson Square is inspiring. And City Park does its best to measure up to seasons past when cars formerly rolled under the grand oaks festooned with huge ornaments. Our holiday spirit actually arises from within each of us. The true mood of the season is how we treat our neighbors, and how we honor the season. Oh, and we also know that Carnival is right around the corner so we’re on our best behavior now – but just wait until next month. Thanks to Steve Yamada, mixologist at Tivoli & Lee Bar and Restaurant on Lee Circle in the Hotel Modern, for this cocktail. New Orleans is all about charm in December.

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Folk Charm 1.5 ounces Milagro Reposado Tequila 1 ounce Spiced Coffee Syrup* 1 whole egg

Add all ingredients into shaker and “dry shake.” Add ice and shake again vigorously for about 1 minute. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Grate fresh cinnamon on top. *Spiced Coffee Syrup Brew 2 cups of medium roast coffee. While fresh, add 5 cardamom pods, 2 star anise pods, 2 thin slices of ginger, 6 white peppercorns and 3 medium orange peels. Allow to rest for 1 hour. Filter out all solids and add 1 cup of sugar. Stir until dissolved and refrigerate. Good for 7 days.

SARA ESSE X BRADLEY P HOTOGRA P H

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$= Average entrée price of $5-$10; $$=$1115; $$$=$16-20; $$$$=$21-25; $$$$$=$25 and up.

5 Fifty 5 Restaurant Marriott Hotel, 555 Canal St., 553-5638, French Quarter, 555Canal.com. B, L, D daily. This restaurant offers innovative American fare such as lobster macaroni and cheese, seasonal Gulf fish with crab and mâche salad with boudin. Many of the dishes receive an additional touch from their wood-burning oven. $$$$

7 on Fulton 701 Convention Center Blvd., 525-7555, CBD/Warehouse District, 7onFulton.com. B, L, D daily. Upscale and contemporary dining destination. $$$$

13 Restaurant and Bar 517 Frenchmen St., 942-1345, Faubourg Marigny, 13Monaghan. com. B, L, D daily, open until 4 a.m. Latenight deli catering to hungry club-hoppers. Bar and excellent jukebox make this a good place to refuel. $

Abita Brew Pub 72011 Holly St., (985) 892-5837, Abita Springs, AbitaBrewPub.com. L, D Tue-Sun. Famous for its Purple Haze and Turbodog brews, Abita serves up better-thanexpected pub food in their namesake eatery. “Tasteful” tours available for visitors. $$

Acme Oyster House 724 Iberville St., 5225973, French Quarter; 3000 Veterans Blvd., 309-4056, Metairie; 1202 N. Highway 190, (985) 246-6155, Covington; AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily. Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$

Aloha Sushi 1051 Annunciation St., 5660021, Warehouse District, SunRayGrill.com. L, D Tue-Sat. A large list of rolls, hot rice bowls, Asian-inspired soups, salads, cocktails and more. Visit for Sake Hour (4-6 p.m.): half-priced sake and three rolls for the price of two. $$

Ancora 4508 Freret St., 324-1636, Uptown, AncoraPizza.com. L Fri-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza fired in an oven imported from Naples keeps pizza connoisseurs coming back to this Freret Street hot-spot. The housemade charcuterie makes it a double-winner. New Orleans Magazine’s 20011 Pizza Restaurant of the Year. $$

Andrea’s Restaurant 3100 19th St., 8348583, Metairie, AndreasRestaurant.com. L Mon-Sat D daily, Br Sun. Indulge in osso buco and homemade pastas in a setting that’s both elegant and intimate; off-premise catering. New Orleans Magazine Honor Roll honoree 2009. $$$

DINING GUIDE Antoine’s 713 St. Louis St., 581-4422, French Quarter, Antoines.com. L Mon-Sat, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. This pinnacle of haute cuisine and birthplace of Oysters Rockefeller is New Orleans’ oldest restaurant. (Every item is á la carte, with an $11 minimum.) Private dining rooms are available. $$$$$ Arnaud’s 813 Bienville St., 523-5433, French Quarter, Arnauds.com. D daily, Br Sun. Waiters in tuxedos prepare Café Brulot tableside at this storied Creole grande dame in the French Quarter; live jazz during Sun. brunch. New Orleans Magazine’s 2011 Honor Roll winner. $$$$$

Audubon Clubhouse 6500 Magazine St.,

Ave., 862-9001, Uptown, BasilLeafThai.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Thai food and sushi bar with a contemporary spin is served in this date-friendly establishment; private rooms available. $$

Basin Seafood & Spirits 3222 Magazine St., 302-7391, Uptown. L, D Tue-Sat. The focus is on seafood at this uncluttered, contemporary joint venture between Colombian chef Edgar Caro from Barü Bistro & Tapas and Louisiana fishing guide Tommy Peters. Their generally lighter approach is represented in dishes such as whole grilled snapper as well as traditional favorites such as spicy boiled crawfish (in season). $$

212-5282, Uptown. B, L Tue-Sat, Br Sun. Nested among the oaks in Audubon Park, the beautifully situated clubhouse is open to the public and features a kid-friendly menu with New Orleans tweaks and a casually upscale sandwich and salad menu for adults. $$

Bayona 430 Dauphine St., 525-4455, French Quarter, Bayona.com. L Wed-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Chef Susan Spicer’s nationally acclaimed cuisine is served in this 200-year-old cottage. Ask for a seat on the romantic patio, weatherpermitting. $$$$$

August Moon 3635 Prytania St., 899-5129, 899-5122, Uptown, MoonNola.com. L, D Mon-Fri, D Sat. Lots of vegetarian offerings and reasonable prices make this dependable Chinese/Vietnamese place a popular choice for students and locals. Take-out and delivery available. $

The Beach House 2401 N. Woodlawn St.,

Austin’s 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., 888-5533, Metairie, AustinsNo.com. D Mon-Sat. Mr. Ed’s upscale bistro serves contemporary Creole fare, including seafood and steaks. $$$

456-7470, Metairie. L, D daily. Gumbo, steaks, lobsters, burgers and seafood are accompanied by live music each and every night. $$$

Besh Steak Harrah’s Casino, 8 Canal St., 533-6111, CBD/Warehouse District, HarrahsNewOrleans.com. D daily. Acclaimed chef John Besh reinterprets the classic steakhouse with his signature contemporary Louisiana flair. New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007. $$$$$

586-9243, Uptown, TheAvenuePub.com. L, D daily (kitchen open 24 hours a day). With more than 47 rotating draft beers, this pub also offers food including a cheese plate from St. James Cheese Co., a crab cake sandwich and the “Pub Burger.” $

Bistro Daisy 5831 Magazine St., 899-6987, Uptown, BistroDaisy.com. D, Tue-Sat. Chef Anton Schulte and his wife Diane’s bistro, named in honor of their daughter, serves creative and contemporary bistro fare in a romantic setting along Magazine Street. The signature Daisy Salad is a favorite. $$$$

Bacchanal Fine Wines and Spirits

Blue Plate Café 1330 Prytania St., 309-

The Avenue Pub 1732 St. Charles Ave.,

600 Poland Ave., 948-9111, Bywater, BacchanalWine.com. L, D daily. The pop-up that started it all, this ongoing backyard music and food fest in the heart of Bywater carries the funky flame. Best of all, the front of house is a wine shop. $$

Barcelona Tapas 720 Dublin St., 861-9696, Riverbend, LetsEat.at/BarcelonaTapas. D TueSun. Barcelona Tapas is chef-owner Xavier Laurentino’s homage to the small-plates restaurants he knew from his hometown of Barcelona. The tapas are authentic, and the space, renovated largely by Laurentino himself, is charming. $

Basil Leaf Restaurant 1438 S. Carrollton

9500, Uptown. B, L Mon-Fri. Breakfasts and lunches are the hallmarks of this neighborhood spot. The Ignatius sandwich comes equipped with 10 inches of paradise. $

The Bombay Club Prince Conti Hotel, 830 Conti St., 586-0972, French Quarter, TheBombayClub.com. D daily. Popular martini bar appointed with plush British décor features live music during the week and late dinner and drinks on weekends. Nouveau Creole menu includes items such as Bombay drum. $$$$

Bon Ton Cafe 401 Magazine St., 524-3386, CBD/Warehouse District, TheBonTonCafe. com. L, D Mon-Fri. A local favorite for the old-

school business lunch crowd, it specializes in local seafood and Cajun dishes. $$$$

Bouche 840 Tchoupitoulas St., 267-7485, Warehouse District, BoucheNola.com. L, D Wed-Sat. Bouche is a mix of lounge, cigar bar and restaurant with an open kitchen serving largely Southern food in portions Bouche calls “Partailles” – something larger than an appetizer but smaller than an entrée. $$$ Boucherie 8115 Jeannette St., 862-5514, Riverbend, Boucherie-Nola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Serving contemporary Southern food with an international angle, Chef Nathaniel Zimet offers excellent ingredients, presented simply. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2009. $$

Brigtsen’s 723 Dante St., 861-7610, Uptown, Brigtsens.com. D Tue-Sat. Chef Frank Brigtsen’s nationally-famous Creole cuisine makes this cozy Riverbend cottage a true foodie destination. $$$$$

Broken Egg Cafe 200 Girod St., (985) 2317125, Mandeville. B, Br, L daily. Breakfastcentric café in turn-of-the-century home offers a sprawling assortment of delicious items both healthy and decadent. $$

Brooklyn Pizzeria 4301 Veterans Blvd., 833-1288, Metairie, EatBrooklyn.net. L, D daily (Drive thru/take out). Pie shop on Vets specializes in New York-style thin crust. The pizza is the reason to come, but sandwiches and salads are offered as well. $

Byblos 1501 Metairie Road, 834-9773, Metairie; 3342 Magazine St., 894-1233, Uptown; 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 8307333 Metairie; 29 McAlister Drive, Tulane University; 2020 Veterans Blvd., 837-9777; ByblosRestaurants.com. L, D daily. Upscale Middle Eastern cuisine featuring traditional seafood, lamb and vegetarian options. $$

Café Adelaide Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras St., 595-3305, CBD/Warehouse District, CafeAdelaide.com. B, D daily, L Mon-Fri. This offering from the Commander’s Palace family of restaurants has become a power-lunch favorite for businessmen and politicos. Also features the Swizzle Stick Bar. $$$$

Café Burnside Houmas House Plantation, 40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, Darrow, HoumasHouse.com. L daily, Br Sun. Historic plantation’s casual dining option features dishes such as seafood pasta, fried catfish, crawfish and shrimp, gumbo and red beans and rice. $$

Vega Tapas Café offers a Mediterranean-Flavored Christmas

Vega Tapas Café and Catering, 2051 Metairie Road, Metairie, 836-2007, VegaTapasCafe.com

Vega Tapas Café in Metairie is offering a great value: a $50, five-course tasting menu over the holiday week (Dec. 23-28). Often rated as one of the best Mediterranean restaurants in the New Orleans area, Vega’s chef Glen Hogh blends Spanish cooking with other Mediterranean flavors to create an exciting cuisine using the best and freshest indigenous Louisiana produce. For example, housemade venison sausages will be served along Moroccan merguez with apricot-mint chutney and chorizo with Bavarian mustard. The flan caramel is bruléed and served with vanillaorange crème custard with cinnamon and berries. The menu’s name La Noche Buena, “The Good Night,” appears to be very fitting. – Mi r e l l a c a m e r a n 80

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Café Degas 3127 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635,

Café Luna 802 Nashville Ave., 269-2444,

Mid-City, CafeDegas.com. L Wed-Sat, D WedSun, Br Sun. Light French bistro food including salads and quiche make this indoor/outdoor boîte a Faubourg St. John favorite. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 French Restaurant of the Year. $$$

Uptown. B, L daily. Charismatic coffee shop in a converted house offers a range of panini, caffeinated favorites and free WiFi. The front porch is a prime spot for people-watching along adjacent Magazine Street. $

Café du Monde 800 Decatur St., 525-0454, French Quarter; One Poydras Suite 27, 5870841, New Orleans; 3301 Veterans Blvd., Suite 104, 834-8694, Metairie; 1401 West Esplanade, Suite 100, 468-3588, Kenner; 4700 Veterans Blvd., 888-9770, Metairie; 1814 N. Causeway Approach, Suite 1, (985) 951-7474, Mandeville; CafeDuMonde.com. This New Orleans institution has been serving fresh café au lait, rich hot chocolate and positively addictive beignets since 1862 in the French Market 24/7. $

Café Equator 2920 Severn Ave., 8884772, Metairie, CafeEquator.com. L, D daily. Very good Thai food across the street from Lakeside Mall. Offers a quiet and oftoverlooked dining option in a crowded part of town. $$

Café Freret 7329 Freret St., 861-7890, Uptown, CafeFreret.com. B, L, D Fri-Wed. Convenient location near Tulane and Loyola universities makes this a place for students (and dogs) to indulge in decadent breakfasts, casual lunches and tasty dinners – and their “A la Collar” menu. $$

Café Giovanni 117 Decatur St., 529-2154, Downtown, CafeGiovanni.com. D daily. Live opera singers three nights a week round out the atmosphere at this contemporary Italian dining destination. The menu offers a selection of Italian specialties tweaked with a Creole influence and their Belli Baci happy hour adds to the atmosphere. $$$$

Café Maspero 601 Decatur St., 523-6250, French Quarter. L, D daily. Tourists line up for their generous portions of seafood and large deli sandwiches. $ Café Minh 4139 Canal St., 482-6266, MidCity, CafeMinh.com. L Mon-Fri., D Mon-Sat. Chef Minh Bui and Cynthia Vutran bring their fusion-y touch with Vietnamese cuisine to this corner location. French accents and a contemporary flair make this one of the more notable cross-cultural venues in town. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Maître D’ of the Year. $$

Café Negril 606 Frenchmen St., 944-4744, Marigny. D daily. This music club draws locals in with their lineup of live reggae and blues. Tacos and BBQ in back are a plus for late-night revelers. $

Café Nino 1510 S. Carrollton Ave., 8659200, Carrollton. L, D daily. Nondescript exterior belies old-school Italian hideaway serving up red-sauce classics like lasagna, along with some of the more under-the-radar New York-style thin crust pizza in town. $$

Café Opera 541 Bourbon St., 648-2331, Inside Four Points by Sheraton, French Quarter. B, L daily, D Thu-Sat. Chef Philippe Andreani serves Creole and Continental classics on the site of the old French Opera House. Choices include crabmeat beignets with corn maque choux as well as fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade. Validated parking is offered for dine-in. Free valet parking. $$$

Cake Café 2440 Chartres St., 943-0010, Marigny, NolaCakes.com. B, L daily. The name may read cakes but this café, helmed by head baker Steve Himelfarb, offers a whole lot more, including fresh baked goods and a full breakfast menu along with sandwiches. A popular place to while away a slow New Orleans morning with a coffee and a slice. $ Camellia Grill 626 S. Carrollton Ave., 3092679, Uptown; 540 Chartres St., 533-6250, Downtown. B, L, D daily, until 1 a.m. SunThu and 3 a.m. Fri-Sat. The venerable diner has reopened following an extensive renovation and change in ownership (in 2006). Patrons can rest assured that its essential character has remained intact and many of the original waiters have returned. The new downtown location has a liquor license and credit cards are now accepted. $ Capdeville 520 Capdeville St., 371-5161, French Quarter, CapdevilleNola.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Capdeville is an upscale bar-bistro with a short but interesting menu of food that’s a mix of comfort and ambition. Burgers are on offer, but so are fried red beans and rice – a take on calas or Italian arancini. $$ Carmo 527 Julia St., 875-4132, Warehouse District, CafeCarmo.com. L Mon-Sat., D TueSat. Caribbean-inspired fare offers a creative array of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free fare in a sleek location on Julia Street. One of the few places in the city where healthy dining is celebrated rather than accommodated. $$

Carmelo Ristorante 1901 Highway 190, (985) 624-4844, Mandeville, RistoranteCarmelo.com. L, D Wed-Fri, SunMon. Italian trattoria serves old-world classics. Private rooms available. $$

Casamento’s 4330 Magazine St., 895-9761, Uptown, CasamentosRestaurant.com. L TueSat, D Thu-Sat. The family-owned restaurant has shucked oysters and fried seafood since 1919; closed during summer and for all major holidays. $$

CC’s Community Coffee House Multiple locations in New Orleans, Metairie and Northshore, CCsCoffee.com. Coffeehouse specializing in coffee, espresso drinks and pastries. $ Chateau du Lac 2037 Metairie Road, 831-3773, Old Metairie, ChateauduLacBistro. com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. This casual French bistro, run by chef-owner Jacques Saleun, offers up classic dishes such as escargot, coq au vin and blanquette de veau. A Provençal-inspired atmosphere and French wine round out the appeal. $$$$ Checkered Parrot 132 Royal St., 592-1270, French Quarter; 3629 Prytania St., Uptown; CheckeredParrot.com. B, L, D daily. The Checkered Parrot is an upscale sports bar with a large menu, featuring nachos, fajitas, wings in seven flavors, wraps and burgers and an outdoor patio. $$

Chiba 8312 Oak St., 826-9119, Carrollton, chiba-nola.com. L Thu-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Contemporary restaurant on Oak Street features an extensive list of special rolls, steamed buns and fusion-y fare to go along with typical Japanese options. Late night hours are a plus. $$$

Chophouse New Orleans 322 Magazine St., 522-7902, CBD, ChophouseNola.com. D daily. In addition to USDA prime grade aged steaks prepared under a broiler that reaches 1,700 degrees, Chophouse offers lobster, redfish and classic steakhouse sides. $$$

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

T HE M E N U Clancy’s 6100 Annunciation St., 895-1111, Uptown, ClancysNewOrleans.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Their Creole-inspired menu has been a favorite of locals for years. $$$ Cochon 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2123, CBD/Warehouse District, CochonRestaurant. com. L, D, Mon-Sat. Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski showcase Cajun and Southern cuisine at this Warehouse District hot spot. Boudin and other pork dishes reign supreme here, along with Louisiana seafood and real moonshine from the bar. New Orleans Magazine named Link Chef of the Year 2009. Reservations strongly recommended. $$

Commander’s Palace 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221, Uptown, CommandersPalace. com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. The Grande Dame in the Garden District is going strong under the auspices of chef Tory McPhail. The turtle soup might be the best in the city, and its weekend Jazz Brunch is a great deal. $$$$

Cooter Brown’s 509 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-9104, Uptown, CooterBrowns.com. L, D daily. Riverbend-area sports bar serves up the city’s largest selection of beers along with great bar food. The cheese fries are a rite of passage, and the Radiator’s Special poor boy makes for a great late-night meal. $

Copeland’s 701 Veterans Blvd., 831-3437, Metairie; 1001 S. Clearview Parkway, 6207800, Jefferson; 1319 West Esplanade Ave., 617-9146, Kenner; 1700 Lapalco Blvd., 364-1575, Harvey; 680 N. Highway 190, (985) 809-9659, Covington; 1337 Gause Blvd., (985) 643-0001, Slidell; CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$

Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro 4517 Veterans Blvd., 454-7620, Metairie; 2001 St. Charles Ave., 593-9955, Garden District; CopelandsCheesecakeBistro.com. L, D daily. Dessert fans flock to this sweet-centric Copeland establishment which also offers extensive lunch and dinner menus. $$$

Coquette 2800 Magazine St., 265-0421, Uptown, Coquette-Nola.com. Br Sun, L TueSat, D daily. A bistro located at the corner of Washington and Magazine streets. The food is French in inspiration and technique, with added imagination from chef Michael Stoltzfus (New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Chef 2009) and his partner Lillian Hubbard.

DINING GUIDE $$$

“Le Pavillon.” $$$

Corky’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant 4243

Dakota 629 N. Highway 190, (985) 892-

Veterans Blvd., 887-5000, Metairie, CorkysBarBQ.com. L, D daily. Memphisbased barbecue chain offers good hickorysmoked ribs, pork and beef in a family setting with catering service available. $

3712, Covington, TheDakotaRestaurant.com. D Mon-Sat. A sophisticated dining experience with generous portions. $$$$$

Court of Two Sisters 613 Royal St., 5227261, French Quarter, CourtOfTwoSisters. com. Br, D daily. The historic environs make for a memorable outdoor dining experience. The famous daily Jazz Brunch buffet and classic Creole dishes sweeten the deal. $$$$$

Crabby Jack’s 428 Jefferson Highway, 833-2722, Jefferson. L Mon-Sat. Lunch outpost of Jacques-Imo’s chef and owner Jack Leonardi. Famous for its fried seafood and poor boys including fried green tomatoes and roasted duck. $

Crépes a la Carte 1039 Broadway St., 866-236, Uptown, CrepeCaterer.com. B, L, D daily. Open late. An extensive menu of tasty crêpes, both savory and sweet, make this a great spot for a quick bite for college students and locals. $

Crescent City Brewhouse 527 Decatur St., 522-0571, French Quarter, CrescentCityBrehouse.com. L, D daily. Contemporary brewpub features an eclectic menu complementing its freshly-brewed wares. Live jazz and good location make it a fun place to meet up. $$$

Crescent City Steakhouse 1001 N. Broad St., 821-3271, Mid-City, CrescentCitySteaks. com. L Tue-Fri & Sun, D daily. One of the classic New Orleans steakhouses, it’s a throwback in every sense of the term. Steaks, sides and drinks are what you get at Crescent City. New Orleans Magazine’s Steakhouse of the Year 2009 and Honor Roll honoree 2007. $$$$

Criollo 214 Royal St., Hotel Monteleone, 681-4444, French Quarter, HotelMonteleone. com/Criollo. B, L, D daily. Next to the famous Carousel Bar in the historic Monteleone Hotel, Criollo represents an amalgam of the various cultures reflected in Louisiana cooking and cuisine, often with a slight contemporary twist. $$$ The Crystal Room Le Pavillon Hotel, 833 Poydras St., 581-3111, CBD/Warehouse District, LePavillon.com. B, D daily; L, MonFri. Franco-American cuisine with Louisiana influences is served in the environs of the Le Pavillon Hotel. The Southern-style breakfast features its decadent Bananas Foster Waffle

The Delachaise 3442 St. Charles Ave., 895-0858, Uptown, TheDelachaise.com. L Fri-Sat, D daily. Elegant bar food fit for the wine connoisseur; kitchen open late. $$

Dick and Jenny’s 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 894-9880, Uptown, DickAndJennys.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. A funky cottage serving Louisiana comfort food with flashes of innovation. $$$$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House 144 Bourbon St., 522-0111, French Quarter, BourbonHouse.com. B, L, D daily. Classic Creole dishes such as redfish on the halfshell and baked oysters are served with classic Brennan’s style at this French Quarter outpost. Its extensive bourbon menu will please aficionados. New Orleans Magazine’s 2011 Oyster Bar of the Year. $$$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse 716 Iberville St., 522-2467, French Quarter, DickieBrennansSteakhouse.com. L Fri, D daily. Nationally recognized steakhouse serves USDA Prime steaks and local seafood in a New Orleans setting with the usual Brennan’s family flair. $$$$$

Domenica The Roosevelt Hotel, 123 Baronne St., 648-6020, CBD, DomenicaRestaurant.com. L, D daily. New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Chef of the Year Alon Shaya serves authentic, regional Italian cuisine in John Besh’s sophisticated new restaurant. The menu of thin, lightly topped pizzas, artisanal salumi and cheese, and a carefully chosen selection of antipasti, pasta and entrées, feature locally raised products, some from Besh’s Northshore farm. $$$$

Domilise’s 5240 Annunciation St., 8999126, Uptown. L, D Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat. Local institution and rite-of-passage for those wanting an initiation to the real New Orleans. Wonderful poor boys and a unique atmosphere make this a one-of-a-kind place. $

Dong Phuong 14207 Chef Menteur Highway, 254-0296, N.O. East. L Wed-Mon. Vietnamese bakery and restaurant in the community of Versailles makes great banh mi sandwiches and interesting baked goods both savory and sweet. Unbeatable prices. $

Drago’s 3232 N. Arnoult Road, 888-9254, Metairie; Hilton Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras St., 584-3911, CBD/Warehouse District;

DragosRestaurant.com. L, D daily (Hilton), L, D Mon-Sat (Metairie). This famous seafooder specializes in charbroiled oysters, a dish they invented. Raucous but good-natured atmosphere makes this a fun place to visit. Great deals on fresh lobster as well. $$$$

Dry Dock Cafe & Bar 133 Delaronde St., 361-8240, Algiers, TheDryDockCafe.com. Br Sun, L, D daily. Fancier daily specials have been added to the menu of this casual neighborhood seafood joint in historic Algiers Point near the ferry landing. Burgers, sandwiches and fried seafood are the staples. $$

El Gato Negro 81 French Market Place, 525-9752, French Quarter, B Sat-Sun, L. D daily; 300 Harrison Ave., 488-0107, Lakeview, L, D Tue-Sun; 3001 Ormond Blvd. (985) 307-0460, Destrehan, L, D Tue-Sun. ElGatoNegroNola.com. Popular spot near the Frenchmen Street clubs serves up authentic Central Mexican cuisine along with handmuddled mojitos and margaritas made with freshly squeezed juice. A weekend breakfast menu is an additional plus. $$

Elizabeth’s 601 Gallier St., 944-9272, Bywater, ElizabethsRestaurantNola.com. B, L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. This eclectic local restaurant draws rave reviews for its Praline Bacon and distinctive Southerninspired brunch specials. $$$ Emeril’s 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 528-9393, CBD/Warehouse District, Emerils.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. The flagship of superstar chef Emeril Lagasse’s culinary empire, this landmark attracts pilgrims from all over the world. $$$$$ Feelings Cafe 2600 Chartres St., 945-2222, Faubourg Marigny, FeelingsCafe.com. D WedSun, Br Sun. Romantic ambiance and skillfully created dishes, such as veal d’aunoy, make dining here on the patio a memorable experience. A piano bar on Fridays adds to the atmosphere. Vegan menu offered. $$$$ Fellini’s Café 900 N. Carrollton Ave., 4882155, Mid-City, FellinisNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. With décor inspired by its namesake Italian filmmaker, this casual indoor/outdoor spot serves large portions of reasonablypriced Mediterranean specialties such as pizza, pastas and hummus. $ Fiesta Latina 1924 Airline Drive, 468-2384, Kenner, FiestaLatinaRestaurant.com. B, L, D Tue-Sun. A big-screen TV normally shows a soccer match or MTV Latino at this home for authentic Central American food. Tacos include a charred carne asada. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Latin Restaurant of the Year. $$ Five Happiness 3605 S. Carrollton Ave.,

Christmas at Commander’s

Commander’s Palace, 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221, CommandersPalace.com

Commander’s Palace, the legendary gastronomic landmark in the Garden District, is offering its Dinner Réveillon Menu all through December. James Beard Chef of the South 2013 Tory McPhail will be offering unique indulgences such as his Louisiana game bird cassoulet with winter vegetables and foie gras gremolata crust. The six-course menu for $90 will take you on a festive tour of the restaurant’s haute Creole cuisine and is accompanied by a Mr. Bingle Cocktail. Also during December, lunch guests will take home one of the restaurant’s famed jingle bells to mark their days and dress their trees. Special menus are also available for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. – M . c . 82

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482-3935, Mid-City, FiveHappiness.com. L, D daily. This longtime Chinese favorite offers up an extensive menu including its beloved mu shu pork and house baked duck. It is a popular choice for families as well. $$

Flaming Torch 737 Octavia St., 895-0900, Uptown, FlamingTorchNola.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. French classics including a tasty onion soup make this a nice place for a slightly upscale lunch while shopping along Magazine Street. $$

Frank’s 933 Decatur St., 525-1602, French Quarter, FranksRestaurantNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. Locally inspired Italian sandwiches such as muffulettas and Genoa salami poor boys are served here in the heart of the French Quarter. $$$

Galatoire’s 209 Bourbon St., 525-2021, French Quarter, Galatoires.com. L, D TueSun. Friday lunches are a New Orleans tradition at this world-famous French-Creole grand dame. Tradition counts for everything here, and the crabmeat Sardou is delicious. Note: Jackets required for dinner and all day Sun. $$$$$ Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak 215 Bourbon St., 335-3932, French Quarter. L Friday, D daily. Steakhouse offshoot of the venerable Creole Grande Dame offers hand-crafted cocktails to accompany classic steakhouse fare as well as inspired dishes like the Gouté 33 – horseradish-crusted bone marrow and deviled eggs with crab ravigote and smoked trout. Reservations are accepted. $$$

Galley Seafood 2535 Metairie Road, 8320955, Metairie. L, D Tue-Sat. A great local place for seafood, both fried and boiled. Famous for its softshell crab poor boy, a Jazz Fest favorite. $$

Gautreau’s 1728 Soniat St., 899-7397, Uptown, GautreausRestaurant.com. D, Mon-Sat. Upscale destination serves refined interpretations of classics along with contemporary creations in a clubby setting nested deep within a residential neighborhood. New Orleans Magazine named Sue Zemanick Chef of the Year 2008. $$$$$ Gott Gourmet Café 3100 Magazine St., 373-6579, Uptown, GottGourmetCafe.com. B Sat-Sun, L, Tue-Sun, D Tue-Fri. Upscalecasual restaurant serves a variety of specialty sandwiches, salads and wraps, like the Chicago-style hot dog and the St. Paddy’s Day Massacre – Chef Gotter’s take on the Rueben. $$

Gracious Bakery + Café 1000 S. Jeff Davis Parkway, Suite 100, 301-3709, Mid-

City, GraciousBakery.com. B, L Mon-Sat. Boutique bakery in the ground floor of the new Woodward Building offers small-batch coffee, baked goods, individual desserts and sandwiches on breads made in-house. Catering options are available as well. $

The Green Goddess 307 Exchange Alley, 301-3347, French Quarter, GreenGoddessNola.com. L, D Wed-Sun. Located in a tiny space, the Green Goddess is one of the most imaginative restaurants in New Orleans. The menu is constantly changing, and chef Paul Artigues always has ample vegetarian options. Combine all of that with a fantastic selection of drinks, wine and beer, and it’s the total (albeit small) package. $$

The Grill Room Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 522-1994, CBD/Warehouse District, GrillRoomNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sun. Jazz Brunch on Sunday with live music. Featuring modern American cuisine with a distinctive New Orleans flair, the adjacent Polo Club Lounge offers live music nightly. $$$$$

GW Fins 808 Bienville St., 581-FINS (3467), French Quarter, GWFins.com. D daily. To ensure the best possible flavors at GW Fins, owners Gary Wollerman and New Orleans Magazine’s 2005 and 2001 Chef of the Year Tenney Flynn provide dishes at their seasonal peak by flying in products from around the globe. That commitment to freshness and quest for unique variety are two of the reasons why the menu is printed daily. $$$$$ Herbsaint 701 St. Charles Ave., 524-4114, CBD/Warehouse District, Herbsaint.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Enjoy a sophisticated cocktail before sampling Chef Donald Link’s (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2009) menu that melds contemporary bistro fare with classic Louisiana cuisine. The

banana brown butter tart is a favorite dessert. $$$$$

Horinoya 920 Poydras St., 561-8914, CBD/ Warehouse District. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Excellent Japanese dining in an understated and oft-overlooked location. The chu-toro is delicious and the selection of authentic Japanese appetizers is the best in the city. $$$ Hoshun Restaurant 1601 St. Charles Ave., 302-9716, Garden District, HoshunRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Hoshun offers a wide variety of Asian cuisines, primarily dishes culled from China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. Their five-pepper calamari is a tasty way to begin the meal, and their creative sushi rolls are good as well. $$

8811, French Quarter. D Mon-Sat. Long waits at the lively piano bar are part of the appeal of this Creole-Italian favorite beloved by locals. Try the oysters Irene and crabmeat gratin appetizers. $$$$

Iris 321 N. Peters St., 299-3944, French Quarter, IrisNewOrleans.com. L Fri, D Mon, Wed-Sat. This inviting bistro offers sophisticated fare in a charming setting. The veal cheek ravioli is a winner. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2006. $$$$ Jack Dempsey’s 738 Poland Ave., 9439914, Bywater, JackDempseysLLC.com. L Tue-Sat, D Wed-Sat. Local favorite nestled deep in the heart of the Bywater is known for its stuffed flounder and baked macaroni served in generous portions. $$$

House of Blues 225 Decatur St., 310-4999,

Jacques-Imo’s Cafe 8324 Oak St., 861-

French Quarter, HouseOfBlues.com. L, D daily. World-famous Gospel Brunch every Sunday. Surprisingly good menu makes this a complement to the music in the main room. Patio seating is available as well. $$

0886, Uptown, JacquesImosCafe.com. D Mon-Sat. Reinvented New Orleans cuisine served in a party atmosphere are the cornerstones of this Oak Street institution. The deep-fried roast beef poor boy is delicious. The lively bar scene offsets the long wait on weekends. $$$$

Il Posto Café 4607 Dryades St., 895-2620, Uptown, ilPostoCafe-Nola.com. B, L, D Tue-Sat, B, L Sun. Italian café specializes in pressed panini, like their Milano, featuring sopressata, Fontina, tomatoes and balsamic on ciabatta. Soups, imported coffee and H&H bagels make this a comfortable neighborhood spot to relax with the morning paper. $

Jamila’s Mediterranean Tunisian Cuisine 7808 Maple St., 866-4366, Uptown. D Tue-Sun. Intimate and exotic bistro serving Mediterranean and Tunisian cuisine. The Grilled Merguez is a Jazz Fest favorite and vegetarian options are offered. $$

Impastato’s 3400 16th St., 455-1545, Metairie, Impastatos.com. D Tue-Sat. Bustling Italian restaurant on the edge of Fat City serves homemade pasta in a convivial atmosphere. Chef/Owner Joe Impastato greets guests warmly and treats them like family. The prix fixe options are a good way to taste a lot for not much money. $$$$

Jeff’s Creole Grille 5241 Veterans Blvd., 889-7992, Metairie, JeffsCreoleGrille.com. L, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. This quaint, upscale restaurant offers a variety of classic New Orleans cuisine, fresh fish and homemade soups and salads with early bird and daily chef specials. $$

Irene’s Cuisine 539 St. Philip St., 529-

1104 Decatur St., 592-2565, French

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Café

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T HE M E N U Quarter, MargaritavilleNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. Parrotheads and other music lovers flock to Jimmy’s outpost along the more local-friendly stretch of Decatur. Strong bar menu and stronger drinks keep them coming back. $$

Joey K’s 3001 Magazine St., 891-0997, Uptown, JoeyKsRestaurant.com. L, D MonSat. A true neighborhood New Orleans restaurant with daily lunch plates keeps it real; red beans and rice are classic. $ The Joint 701 Mazant St., 949-3232, Bywater, AlwaysSmokin.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Some of the city’s best barbecue can be had at this locally owned and operated favorite in Bywater. $ Juan’s Flying Burrito 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000, Uptown; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., 486-9950, Mid-City. L, D daily. Hard-core tacos and massive burritos are served in an edgy atmosphere. $

Jung’s Golden Dragon 3009 Magazine St., Uptown, JungsGoldenDragon2.com. L, D daily. This Chinese destination is a real find. Along with the usual you’ll find spicy cold noodle dishes and dumplings. This is one of the few local Chinese places that breaks the Americanized mold. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Chinese Restaurant of the Year. $

Kosher Cajun New York Deli and Grocery 3519 Severn Ave., 888-2010,

DINING GUIDE com. L, D daily. Burgers are the name of the game here at this restaurant which shares a pedigree with Snug Harbor and Port of Call. Rounded out with a loaded baked potato, their half-pound patties are sure to please. Daily specials, pizza and steaks are offered as well. $

La Macarena Pupuseria & Latin Cafe

La Provence 25020 Highway 190, (985) 626-7662, Lacombe, LaProvenceRestaurant. com. D Wed-Sun, Br Sun. John Besh (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007) upholds time-honored Provençal cuisine and rewards his guests with a true farm-life experience, from house-made preserves, charcuterie, herbs, kitchen gardens and eggs cultivated on the property, an elegant French colonial stucco house. $$$$$

Latil’s Landing Houmas House Plantation,

La Boca 857 Fulton St., 525-8205, Warehouse District, LaBocaSteaks.com. D Mon-Sat. This Argentine steakhouse specializes in cuts of meat along with pastas and wines. Specials include the provoleta appetizer and the Vacio flank steak. New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2006 & 2010 Steakhouse of the Year. $$$ Lakeview Harbor 911 Harrison Ave., 486-4887, Lakeview, BestNewOrleansBurger.

Lil’ Dizzy’s Café 1500 Esplanade Ave.,

St., 945-4472, Faubourg Marigny, MarignyBrasserie.com. L, D daily. Chic neighborhood bistro with traditional dishes like the Wedge of Lettuce salad and innovative cocktails like the Cucumber Cosmo. $$$

Lilette 3637 Magazine St., 895-1636,

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen 416 Chartres

KyotoNola.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A neighborhood sushi restaurant where the regulars order off-the-menu rolls. $$

Maple Street Café 7623 Maple St., 314-

La Petite Grocery 4238 Magazine St., 891-3377, Uptown, LaPetiteGrocery.com. L Tue-Sat, D daily. Elegant dining in a convivial atmosphere quickly made this place an Uptown darling. The menu is heavily Frenchinspired with an emphasis on technique. $$$

40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, Darrow, HoumasHouse.com. L Sun, D WedSun. Nouvelle Louisiane, plantation-style cooking served in an opulent setting features dishes like rack of lamb and plume de veau. $$$$$

Le Meritage 1001 Toulouse St., 522-8800, French Quarter, LeMeritageRestaurant.com. D Tue-Sat. This restaurant blends fine wines with Southern-flavored cuisine for a memorable fine-dining experience in a casual environment. Chef Michael Farrell’s well-rounded menu features suggested wine and food pairings, along with full or half servings both by the glass and by the plate. Complimentary valet parking. $$$

Le Salon Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 596-4773, CBD/Warehouse District. Afternoon Tea, Thu-Fri, seating at 2 p.m., Sat-Sun, seating at 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Formal afternoon tea with harpist or string quartet served in a sophisticated atmosphere. A local

roundings accented by both memorabilia and local art. $$$

Magazine St., 581-9680, CBD/Warehouse District, LiborioCuban.com. L Mon-Sat, D Tue-Sat. Authentic Cuban favorites such as Ropa Vieja and pressed Cuban sandwiches along with great specials make this a popular lunch choice. $$$ 569-8997, Mid-City. B, L daily, D Thu-Sat. Spot local and national politicos dining at this favored Creole soul restaurant known for homey classics like fried chicken and Trout Baquet. $

La Thai Uptown 4938 Prytania St., 8998886, Uptown, LaThaiUptown.com. L, D TueSun. Uptown outpost of the Chauvin family’s ingredient-driven Thai-Cajun fusion cuisine. The summer rolls are good as is the tom kar gai soup. Lunch specials are a good deal and vegetarian dishes are offered as well. $$

Kyoto 4920 Prytania St., 891-3644, Uptown,

Liborio’s Cuban Restaurant 321

8120 Hampson St., 862-5252, Uptown. L, D Mon-Fri, Br, L, D Sat & Sun. This cash-only and BYOB restaurant has recently overhauled their menu, now including a large selection of vegan and vegetarian items, as well as a tapas menu. $$

Metairie, KosherCajun.com. L Mon-Fri & Sun, D Mon-Thu. Great kosher meals and complete kosher grocery in the rear make this Metairie eatery a unique destination. The matzo ball soup is a winner and catering is available for parties of any size. $ St., 596-2930, French Quarter, ChefPaul. com/KPaul. L Thu-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Paul Prudhomme’s landmark restaurant helped introduce Cajun food to a grateful nation. Lots of seasoning and bountiful offerings, along with reserved seating, make this a destination for locals and tourists alike. $$$$

mother-daughter tradition. $$

Uptown, LiletteRestaurant.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Chef John Harris’ innovative menu draws discerning diners to this highly regarded bistro on Magazine Street. Desserts are wonderful as well. $$$$$

Lola’s 3312 Esplanade Ave., 488-6946, Mid-City. D daily. Garlicky Spanish dishes and great paella make this artsy Faubourg St. John boîte a hipster destination. $$$

Lüke 333 St. Charles Ave., 378-2840, CBD, LukeNewOrleans.com. Br Sat-Sun, B, L, D daily. John Besh (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007) and executive chef Matt Regan characterize the cuisine “Alsace meets New Orleans in an authentic brasserie setting.” Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, house-made patés and abundant plateaux of cold, fresh seafood. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2007 and 2012 Raw Bar of the Year. $$$

Mahony’s 3454 Magazine St., 899-3374, Uptown, MahonysPoBoys.com. L, D MonSat. Along with the usual poor boys, this sandwich shop serves up a Grilled Shrimp and Fried Green Tomato version dressed with remoulade sauce. Sandwich offerings are augmented by a full bar. $ Mandina’s 3800 Canal St., 482-9179, MidCity, MandinasRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Quintessential New Orleans neighborhood institution reopened following an extensive renovation. Though the ambiance is more upscale, the same food and seafood dishes make dining here a New Orleans experience. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year. $$

Manning’s 519 Fulton St., 593-8118, Warehouse District. L, D daily. Born of a partnership between New Orleans’ First Family of Football and Harrah’s Casino, Manning’s offers sports bar fans a step up in terms of comfort and quality. With a menu that draws on both New Orleans and the Deep South, traditional dishes get punched up with inspired but accessible twists in sur-

9003, Uptown. L, D daily. Casual dinner spot serving Mediterranean-inspired pastas and Italian-style entrées, along with heartier fare such as duck and filet mignon. $$

The Marigny Brasserie 640 Frenchmen

Martin Wine Cellar 714 Elmeer Ave., 8967300, Metairie, MartinWine.com. Br Sun, L daily, D Mon-Fri. Wine by the glass or bottle to go with daily lunch specials, towering burgers, hearty soups, salads and giant, delistyle sandwiches. $ Mat & Naddie’s 937 Leonidas St., 8619600, Uptown, MatAndNaddies.com. D MonTue, Thu-Sat. Cozy converted house along River Road serves up creative and eclectic regionally-inspired fare. Crab cakes with cucumber slaw makes for a good appetizer and when the weather is right the romantic patio is the place to sit. $$$$

Maximo’s Italian Grill 1117 Decatur St., 586-8883, French Quarter. MaximosGrill. com. D Daily. Italian destination on Decatur Street features a sprawling menu including housemade salumi and antipasti as well as old school classics like Veal Osso Bucco. Private dining is offered for special events. New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Continental Italian Restaurant of the Year. $$$

Middendorf’s Interstate 55, Exit 15, 30160 Highway 51 South, (985) 386-6666, Akers, MiddendorfsRestaurant.com. L, D Wed-Sun. Historic seafood destination along the shores of Lake Maurepas is world-famous for its thin-fried catfish fillets. Open since 1934, it transitioned to its next generation of owners when Horst Pfeifer purchased it in 2007. More than a restaurant, this is a Sunday Drive tradition. $$ MiLa 817 Common St., 412-2580, French Quarter, MiLaNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Latest offering from husbandand-wife chefs Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing focuses on the fusion of the cuisines of Miss. and La. Signature dishes include Oysters Rockefeller “Deconstructed” and New Orleans-style barbecue lobster. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2008. $$$$ Mona’s Café 504 Frenchmen St., 485-6583, Marigny; 4126 Magazine St., 894-9800, Uptown; 1120 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-8174, Uptown; 3901 Banks St., 482-7743, Mid-City.

Cheesecake Bistro debuts new look, bar and menu

Cheesecake Bistro by Copeland’s, 2001 St. Charles Ave., 593-9955, CopelandsCheesecakeBistro.com

Cheesecake Bistro by Copeland’s got just what it wanted for Christmas: an update for its bar area. The new design includes new fixtures, fittings and funky New Orleans elements, such as a faux paint treatment and new art. The menu has also been freshened up with the introduction of five new items and Mom’s Meatloaf, brought back by popular demand. The new dishes include a Ham and Gouda Pretzel Roll and are all savory – apart from the cheesecake trio. These three squares of cheesecake come with a variety of toppings and give you a good introduction to the restaurant’s namesake. – M . c . 84

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L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tender-tangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Middle Eastern Restaurant of the Year. $

Mondo 900 Harrison Ave., 224-2633, Lakeview, MondoNewOrleans.com. Br Sun, L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Chef of the Year Susan Spicer’s take on world cuisine isn’t far from her home in Lakeview. Make sure to call ahead because the place has a deserved reputation for good food and good times. $$$

Morton’s, The Steakhouse The Shops at Canal Place, 365 Canal St., 566-0221, French Quarter, Mortons.com/NewOrleans. D daily. Quintessential Chicago steakhouse serves up top-quality slabs of meat along with jumbo seafood. Clubhouse atmosphere makes this chophouse a favorite of Saints players and businessmen alike. $$$$$

Mosca’s 4137 Highway 90 West, 436-9942, Avondale. D Tue-Sat. Italian institution near the Huey Long Bridge dishes out massive portions of great food family-style. Good bets are the shrimp Mosca and chicken à la grande. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Honor Roll winner. Note: Cash Only. $$$

Mother’s 401 Poydras St., 436-8940, CBD/ Warehouse District, MothersRestaurant.net. B, L, D daily. Locals and tourists alike endure long queues and a confounding ordering system to enjoy iconic dishes such as the Ferdi poor boy and Jerry’s jambalaya. Come for a late lunch to avoid the rush. $$

Mr. Ed’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant 1001 Live Oak St., 838-

0022, Bucktown; 910 W. Esplanade Ave., Ste. A, 463-3030, Kenner. L, D Mon-Sat. Neighborhood restaurant specializes in seafood and Italian offerings such as stuffed eggplant and bell pepper. Fried seafood and sandwiches make it a good stop for lunch. $$

Muriel’s Jackson Square 801 Chartres St., 568-1885, French Quarter, Muriels.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Enjoy pecan-crusted drum and other New Orleans classics while dining in the courtyard bar or any other room in this labyrinthine, rumored-to-be-haunted establishment. $$$$

Naked Pizza 6307 S. Miro St., 8650244, Uptown (takeout & delivery only), NakedPizza.biz. L, D daily. Pizza place with a focus on fresh ingredients and a healthy crust. The Mediterranean pie is a good choice. $

Napoleon House 500 Chartres St., 5249752, French Quarter, NapoleonHouse.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Originally built in 1797 as a respite for Napoleon, this family-owned European-style café serves local favorites: gumbo, jambalaya, muffulettas and for sipping, a Sazerac or lemony Pimm’s Cup. $$

Nine Roses 1100 Stephen St., 366-7665, Gretna, NineRosesResturant.com. L, D SunTue, Thu-Sat. The extensive Vietnamese menu specializes in hot pots, noodles and dishes big enough for everyone to share. Great for families. $$ NOLA 534 St. Louis St., 522-6652, French Quarter, Emerils.com. L Thu-Sun, D daily. Emeril’s more affordable eatery, featuring cedar-plank-roasted redfish; private dining. $$$$$

Nuvolari’s 246 Girod St., (985) 6265619, Mandeville, Nuvolaris.com. D daily. Dark woods and soft lighting highlight this

Northshore Creole Continental-Italian fusion restaurant famous for crabmeat ravioli, veal dishes, seafood specialties and delectable desserts. $$$$

One Restaurant and Lounge 8132 Hampson St., 301-9061, Uptown, OrleansGrapevine.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Black seating and herbaceous sage-colored walls form a dining room where every seat is a view into the open kitchen and the chefs creating contemporary comfort food on a seasonally changing menu. The bar is also known for cranking out clever cocktails. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2005. $$$$

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar and Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., 523-1930, French Quarter, OrleansGrapevine.com. D daily. Wine is the muse at this beautifully renovated French Quarter bistro, which offers vino by the flight, glass and bottle. A classic menu with an emphasis on New Orleans cuisine adds to the appeal. $$$

Palace Café 605 Canal St., 523-1661, CBD/ Warehouse District, PalaceCafe.com. L MonSat, D daily, Br Sun. Dickie Brennan-owned brasserie with French-style sidewalk seating and house-created specialties of Chef Darrin Nesbit at lunch, dinner and Jazz Brunch. Favorites here include crabmeat cheesecake, turtle soup, the Werlein salad with fried Louisiana oysters and pork ”debris” studded Palace Potato Pie. $$$$$

Parkway Bakery and Tavern 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047, Mid-City, ParkwayBakeryAndTavernNola.com. L, D daily, closed Tue. Featured on national TV and having served poor boys to presidents, Parkway stakes a claim to some of the best sandwiches in town. Their french fry version

with gravy and cheese is a classic at a great price. $

Pascal’s Manale 1838 Napoleon Ave., 895-4877, Uptown. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Vintage New Orleans neighborhood restaurant since 1913 and the place to go for the house-creation of barbecued shrimp. Its oyster bar serves icy cold, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters and the Italian specialties and steaks are also solid. $$$$ Patois 6078 Laurel St., 895-9441, Uptown, PatoisNola.com. Br Sun, L Fri, D Wed-Sat. The food is French in technique, with influences from across the Mediterranean as well as the American South, all filtered through the talent of Chef Aaron Burgau (New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Chef 2009). Reservations recommended. $$$ Paul’s Café 100 Pine St., (985) 386-9581, Ponchatoula, PaulsCafe.net. B, L daily. Best known for its strawberry daiquiris, Paul’s also cooks up egg breakfasts and lunches including all manner of sandwiches and poor boys. $

The Pelican Club 312 Exchange Place, 523-1504, French Quarter, PelicanClub.com. D daily. Tucked into a French Quarter alley, Pelican Club serves an eclectic mix of hip food, from the seafood “martini” to clay pot barbecued shrimp and a trio of duck. Three dining rooms available. $$$$$ PJ’s Coffee Multiple locations throughout Greater New Orleans, PJsCoffee.com. The city’s first iced-coffee spot that pioneered the coffee house experience in New Orleans and introduced us all to velvet ices, drinkable granitas and locally made Ronald Reginald vanilla. A wide assortment of pastries and bagels are offered as well as juices and fresh ground or whole bean coffees. $

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DECEMBER 2013

T HE M EN U Port of Call 838 Esplanade Ave., 523-0120, French Quarter, PortOfCallNola.com. L, D daily. It is all about the big, meaty burgers and giant baked potatoes in this popular bar/ restaurant – unless you’re cocktailing only, then it’s all about the Monsoons. $$

Praline Connection 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934, Faubourg Marigny, PralineConnection.com. L, D daily. Downhome dishes of smothered pork chops, greens, beans and cornbread are on the menu at this homey Creole soul restaurant. $$

Ralph Brennan’s Red Fish Grill 115 Bourbon St., 598-1200, French Quarter, RedFishGrill.com. L, D Mon-Thu & Sun. Chef Austin Kirzner cooks up a broad menu peppered with Big Easy favorites such as BBQ oysters, blackened redfish and double chocolate bread pudding. $$$$$

Ralph’s On The Park 900 City Park Ave., 488-1000, Mid-City, RalphsOnThePark. com. Br Sun, L Wed-Fri, D daily. A modern interior, a view of City Park’s moss-draped oaks and contemporary Creole dishes such as City Park salad, turtle soup and BBQ Gulf shrimp. The bar gets special notice for cocktails. $$$$

The Red Maple 1036 Lafayette St., 3670935, Gretna, TheRedMaple.com. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sat. This West Bank institution since 1963 is known for its seafood, steaks, wine list and some of the best bread pudding around. $$$$

Reginelli’s Pizzeria 741 State St., 8991414, Uptown; 3244 Magazine St., 895-7272, Uptown; 5608 Citrus Blvd., 818-0111, Harahan; 817 W. Esplanade Ave., 7126868, Kenner; 874 Harrison Ave, 488-0133, Lakeview; Reginellis.com. L, D daily. Pizzas, pastas, salads, fat calzones and lofty focaccia sandwiches are on tap at locations all over town. $$

Arnaud’s Remoulade 309 Bourbon St., 523-0377, French Quarter, Remoulade. com. L, D daily. Granite-topped tables and an antique mahogany bar are home to the eclectic menu of Famous Shrimp Arnaud, red beans and rice and poor boys as well as specialty burgers, grilled all-beef hot dogs and thin-crust pizza. $$

René Bistrot 700 Tchoupitoulas St., 613-2350, CBD/Warehouse District, LaCoteBrasserie.com. Br Sun, L Mon-Fri, D daily. Fresh local seafood, international ingredients and a contemporary atmosphere fill the room at this hotel restaurant near the Convention Center. $$$

Restaurant August 301 Tchoupitoulas St., 299-9777, CBD/Warehouse District, RestaurantAugust.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. James Beard Award-winning chef (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007) John Besh’s menu is based on classical techniques of Louisiana cuisine and produce with a splash of European flavor set in a historic carriage warehouse. $$$$$

R’evolution 777 Bienville St., 553-2277, French Quarter, RevolutionNola.com. L, D Mon-Fri, Br, D Sun, open late Fri-Sat. R’evolution is the partnership between chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto. Located in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, it’s an opulent place that combines the local flavors of chef Folse with the more cosmopolitan influence of chef Tramonto. Chef de cuisine Chris Lusk and

DECEMBER 2013

myneworleans.com

DINING GUIDE executive sous chef Erik Veney are in charge of day-to-day operations, which include house-made charcuterie, pastries, pastas and more. New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Restaurant of the Year. $$$$$

Ristorante Da Piero 401 Williams Blvd., 469-8585, Kenner, RistoranteDaPiero.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Homemade pastas and an emphasis on Northern Italian cuisine make this cozy spot in Kenner’s Rivertown a romantic destination. $

of coffees and teas, as well as pastries, daily specials and hearty breakfasts. $

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 3633 Veterans Blvd., 888-3600, Metairie. L Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun; 525 Fulton St. in Harrah’s Hotel, 587-7099, L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun; RuthsChris. com. Filet Mignon, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin are the most popular dishes at this area steak institution, but there are also great seafood choices and top-notch desserts. $$$$$

Rib Room Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis St., 529-7046, French Quarter, RibRoomNewOrleans.com. Br Sat-Sun, L, D daily. Old World elegance, high ceilings and views of Royal Street, house classic cocktails and Anthony Spizale’s broad menu of prime rib, stunning seafood and on weekends, a Champagne Brunch. $$$

Sake Café 2830 Magazine St., 894-0033,

Riccobono’s Panola Street Café 7801

901 Veterans Blvd., 835-0916, Metairie, SammysPoBoys.com. L Mon-Sat, D daily. Bucktown transplant offers a seafood-centric menu rounded out with wraps, kid meals and catering options all at a reasonable price. $

Panola St., 314-1810, Garden District. B, L daily. This breakfast spot at the corner of Burdette and Panola streets has been waking up bleary college students for years. The omelets are good, as are the Belgian waffles. Offers daily specials as well. $

Rio Mar 800 S. Peters St., 525-3474, CBD/ Warehouse District, RioMarSeafood.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Seafood-centric Warehouse District destination focuses on Latin American and Spanish cuisines. Try the bacalaitos and the escabeche. The tapas lunch is a great way to try a little of everything. Save room for the Tres Leches, a favorite dessert. New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2006. $$$$

Ristorante Filippo 1917 Ridgelake Drive, 835-4008, Metairie. L, D Tue-Sat. CreoleItalian destination serves up southern Italian specialties bathed in red sauces and cheese alongside New Orleans classics like pan-fried Gulf fish and plump shellfish. $$$ River 127 Westin New Orleans Canal Place, 100 Rue Iberville, 533-5082, French Quarter. B, L, D daily. Continental cuisine with Louisiana flare in a dining room that overlooks the Mississippi River and French Quarter. $$$$

Rivershack Tavern 3449 River Road, 8344938, Jefferson, TheRivershackTavern.com. L, D daily. Home of the Tacky Ashtray, this popular bar alongside the Mississippi levee offers surprisingly wide-ranging menu featuring seafood, poor boys and deli-style sandwiches along with live music. Open late. $

Rock-N-Sake 823 Fulton St., 581-7253, CBD/Warehouse District, RockNSake.com. L Fri, D Tue-Sun. Enjoy fresh sushi along with contemporary takes on Japanese favorites in this club-like setting in the Warehouse District. Open until midnight on Fri. and Sat., this makes for a unique late-night destination. $$$

Root 200 Julia St., 252-9480, CBD, RootNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Chef Philip Lopez opened Root in November 2011 and has garnered a loyal following for his modernist, eclectic cuisine. Try the Korean fried chicken wings and the Cohiba-smoked scallops crusted with chorizo. New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Maître D’ of the Year. $$$$ Royal Blend Coffee and Tea House 621 Royal St., 523-2716, French Quarter; 204 Metairie Road, 835-7779, Metairie; RoyalBlendCoffee.com. B, L daily. Known for their frozen Café Glace and a wide selection

Uptown, SakeCafeUptown.com. L, D daily. Creative and traditional Japanese food in an ultramodern décor. Sushi and sashimi boats, wild rolls filled with the usual and not-sousual suspects and a nice bar with a number of sakes from which to choose. $$$

Sammy’s Po-Boys and Catering

Satsuma Café 3218 Dauphine St., 3045962, Bywater; 7901 Maple St., 309-5557, Uptown; SatsumaCafe.com. B, L daily (until 7 p.m.). Two locations offer healthy, inspired breakfast and lunch fare, along with freshly squeezed juices. $

Semolina 4436 Veterans Blvd., Suite 37, Metairie, 454-7930, Semolina.com. L, D daily. This casual, contemporary pasta restaurant takes a bold approach to cooking Italian food, emphasizing flavors, texture and color; many of the dishes feature a signature Louisiana twist, such as the Muffuletta Pasta and Pasta Jambalaya. Popular entrées include Grilled Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marsala and Veal Parmesan. $$

Serendipity 3700 Orleans Ave. 407-0818, Mid-City, SerendipityNola.com. D daily. Chef Chris DeBarr brings his eclectic and far-ranging style of cuisine and classically inspired cocktails to an outpost in American Can. A late-night option as well. $$

Slice 1513 St. Charles Ave., 525-7437, Uptown; 5538 Magazine St., 897-4800; SlicePizzeria.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Order up slices or whole pizza pies done in several styles (thin- and thick-crust) as well as pastas, seafood, paninis and salads. $

Slim Goodies Diner 3322 Magazine St., 891-EGGS (3447). B, L daily. This diner offers up an exhaustive menu heavily influenced by local cuisine. Try the Creole Slammer, a breakfast platter rounded out with Crawfish Étouffée. The laid-back vibe is best enjoyed on the patio out back. $

SoBou 310 Chartres St., 552-4095, French Quarter, SoBouNola.com. B, L, D daily. There is something for everyone at this “Modern Creole Saloon,” the latest offering from the Commander’s Restaurant Family. Decidedly unstuffy with an emphasis on craft cocktails and wines by the glass, diners will find everything from $1 pork cracklins to an extravagant foie gras burger on the accomplished yet eclectic menus. $$

St., 527-0771, Uptown, SteinsDeli.net. B, L, D Tue-Sun. New York meets New Orleans. The Reuben and Rachel sandwiches are the real deal and the half-sours and pickled tomatoes complete the deli experience. $

Stella! 1032 Chartres St., 587-0091, French Quarter, RestaurantStella.com. D daily. Global cuisine with a Louisiana blush by native son chef Scott Boswell. Dishes are always inventive and flavorful from appetizer to dessert. The wine list is bold and the service “stellar.” Boswell was New Orleans Magazine’s 2005 Chef of the Year. $$$$$ Sun Ray Grill 619 Pink St., 837-0055, Old Metairie; 1051 Annunciation St., 566-0021, CBD/Warehouse District; 2600 Belle Chasse Highway, 391-0053, Gretna; SunRayGrill. com. L, D daily, Br Sun (at Annunciation). This local chain offers a globally influenced menu with burgers, steaks, sesame crusted tuna, sandwiches and salads. $$

Surrey’s Café and Juice Bar 1418 Magazine St., 524-3828, Coliseum Square; 4807 Magazine St., 895-5757, Uptown; SurreysCafeAndJuiceBar.com. B, L daily. Laid-back café focuses on breakfast and brunch dishes to accompany freshly squeezed juice offerings. Health-food lovers will like it here, along with fans of favorites such as peanut butter and banana pancakes. Note: Cash only. $$

Tan Dinh 1705 Lafayette St., 361-8008, Gretna. B, L, D Wed-Mon. Roasted quail and the beef pho rule at this Vietnamese outpost. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Vietnamese Restaurant of the Year. $$ Theo’s Pizza 4218 Magazine St., 8948554, Uptown; 4024 Canal, 302-1133, MidCity; 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, 733-3803, Elmwood TheosPizza.com. L, D daily. The thin, cracker-crisp crust pizzas are complemented by the broad assortment of toppings which include a lot of local ingredients. Cheap prices make this an economical and delicious choice. $$ Three Muses 536 Frenchmen St., 2524801, Marigny, TheThreeMuses.com. D Sun-Mon, Wed, Fri-Sat. Three Muses is a bar-restaurant serving the eclectic cuisine of chef Daniel Esses. The menu changes, but expect Esses’ take on Italian, Spanish, North African and Korean cooking. Local bands provide music on a regular basis. $ Tommy’s Cuisine 746 Tchoupitoulas St., 581-1103, CBD/Warehouse District, TommysNewOrleans.com. D daily. Classic Creole-Italian cuisine is the name of the game at this upscale eatery. Appetizers include the namesake Oysters Tommy, baked in the shell with Romano cheese, pancetta and roasted red pepper. $$$$$

Tony Angello’s 6262 Fleur de Lis Drive, 488-0888. Lakeview. D Tue-Sat. CreoleItalian favorite serves up fare in the completely restored Lakeview location. Ask Tony to “Feed Me” if you want a real multi-course dining experience. New Orleans Magazine’s 2010 Traditional New Orleans Italian Restaurant of the Year. $$$$

Snug Harbor 626 Frenchman St., 9490696, Faubourg Marigny, SnugJazz.com. D daily. The city’s premier jazz club serves cocktails and a dining menu loaded with steaks, seafood and meaty burgers served with loaded baked potatoes. $$$$

Tout de Suite Cafe 347 Verret St., 3622264, Algiers. B, L, D daily. Neighborhood coffeehouse/café in historic Algiers Point offers a light menu of soups, salads and sandwiches for a quick meal or carryout. $$

Stein’s Market and Deli 2207 Magazine

Magazine St., 897-5413, TraeysNola.com,

Tracey’s Irish Restaurant & Bar 2604

Uptown. L, D daily. A neighborhood bar with one of the best messy roast beef poor boys in town. The gumbo, cheeseburger poor boy and other sandwiches are also winners. Grab a local Abita beer to wash it all down. Also a great location to watch “the game.” $

& Sun, D Wed-Sun. Casual neighborhood Italian destination known for its thin-crust pizzas. Good lunch specials make this a popular choice as well. $$

well as appetizers, salads, side dishes, seafood, pasta and other entrées, drawing from a wide range of worldly influences. Zea’s also offers catering services. $$$

Trey Yuen 600 N. Causeway Blvd., (985) 626-4476, Mandeville, TreyYuen.com. L Tue-Fri & Sun, D Tue-Sun. Chinese cuisine meets with local seafood in dishes like their Szechuan Spicy Alligator and Tong Cho Crawfish; private rooms available. $$

Vincent’s Italian Cuisine 4411 Chastant St., 885-2984, Metairie, L TueFri, D Mon-Sat; 7839 St. Charles Ave., 866-9313, Uptown. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sun; VicentsItalianCuisine.com. Snug Italian boîte packs them in yet manages to remain intimate at the same time. The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

Zoë Restaurant W New Orleans Hotel, 333 Poydras St., 2nd Floor, 207-5018, ZoeNewOrleans.com. B, L daily. Completely redone in both décor and cuisine, each section features a separate menu by executive chef Chris Brown. $$$

Tujague’s 823 Decatur St., 525-8676,

Wolfe’s in the Warehouse 859

French Quarter, TujaguesRestaurant.com. D daily. For more than 150 years this landmark restaurant has been offering Creole cuisine. Favorites include a nightly six-course table d’hôté menu featuring a unique Beef Brisket with Creole Sauce. New Orleans Magazine’s Honor Roll honoree 2008. $$$$$

Convention Center Blvd., 613-2882, CBD/ Warehouse District. B, L, D daily. Chef Tom Wolfe brings his refined cuisine to the booming Fulton Street corridor. His Smoked Kobe Short Ribs are a good choice. $$$

Upperline 1413 Upperline St., 891-9822, Uptown, Upperline.com. D Wed-Sun. Consummate hostess JoAnn Clevenger and talented chef Dave Bridges make for a winning combination at this nationally heralded Uptown favorite, New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Honor Roll winner. The oft-copied Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade originated here. $$$$

Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 836-2007, Metairie. D Mon-Sat. Innovative establishment offers fresh seafood, grilled meats and vegetarian dishes in a chic environment. Daily chef specials showcase unique ingredients and make this place a popular destination for dates as well as groups of friends. $$ Venezia 134 N. Carrollton Ave., 488-7991, Mid-City, VeneziaNewOrleans.com. L Wed-Fri

Ye Olde College Inn 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683, Uptown, CollegeInn1933. com. D Tue-Sat. The institution moved next door into brand-new digs but serves up the same classic fare, albeit with a few new upscale dishes peppering the menu. $$$

Yuki Izakaya 525 Frenchmen St., 9431122, Marigny. D daily. Authentic Japanese Izakaya serves small plates to late-night crowds at this unique destination. Try the Hokke Fish or the Agedashi Tofu. An excellent sake menu rounds out the appeal, as does the sexy, club-like ambiance. $ Zea’s Rotisserie and Bar 1525 St. Charles Ave., Lower Garden District, 520-8100; 1655 Hickory Ave, Harahan, 738-0799; 4450 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 780-9090; 1325 West Esplanade, Kenner, 468-7733; 1121 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, 361-8293; 110 Lake Drive, Covington, (985) 327-0520, ZeaRestaurants.com. L, D daily. This popular restaurant serves a variety of grilled items as

SPECIALTY FOODS Antoine’s Annex 513 Royal St., 525-8045, French Quarter, Antoines.com/AntoinesAnnex. Open daily. Around the corner from the oldest continuously operated restaurant in the country, Antoine’s Annex serves French pastries, including individual baked Alaskas, ice cream and gelato, as well as panini, salads and coffee. They also deliver. Bee Sweet Cupcakes 5706 Magazine St., 891-8333, Uptown, BeeSweetCupcakes.net. Open Mon-Sat. Tiny shop sells its namesake treats with a New Orleans twist. Try the Bananas Foster or the Pralines and Cream flavors. Daily specials are offered, as well as catering orders for weddings and parties. Bittersweet Confections 725 Magazine St., 523-2626, Warehouse District, BittersweetConfections.com. Open MonSat. Freshly baked cookies, cupcakes and specialty cakes. Serving handmade chocolate truffles, fudge, caramels, gelato, ice coffee, chocolate-dipped strawberries and freshly squeezed lemonade. Children’s birthday parties, chocolate tasting parties, custom chocolates and truffle party bar. Call for details.

Blue Dot Donuts 4301 Canal St., 2184866, Mid-City, BlueDotDonuts.com. B, L daily. Heard the one about the cops that

opened a donut shop? This is no joke. The Bacon Maple Long John gets all the press, but returning customers are happy with the classics as well as twists like peanut butter and jelly. New Orleans Magazine’s 2012 Doughnut Shop of the Year.

Blue Frog Chocolates 5707 Magazine St., 269-5707, Uptown, BlueFrogChocolate.com. Open daily. French and Belgian chocolate truffles and Italian candy flowers make this boutique a great place for gifts. Calcasieu 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2188, Warehouse District, CalcasieuRooms.com. Located in the second floor of a renovated warehouse, above Cochon and Cochon Butcher, is a place to host gatherings both large and small. Catering menus feature modern Louisiana cooking and the Cajun cuisine for which chef Donald Link is justifiably famous.

Magic Seasonings Mail Order (800) 4572857. Offers chef Paul Prudhomme’s famous cookbooks, smoked meats, videos, seasonings and more. Online shopping available at shop. ChefPaul.com/Seasonings. St. James Cheese Company 5004 Prytania St., 899-4737, Uptown, StJamesCheese.com. Open daily. Specialty shop offers a selection of fine cheeses, wines, beers and related accouterments. Look for wine and cheese specials every Friday.

Sucré 3025 Magazine St., 520-8311; 3301 Veterans Blvd., 834-2277; ShopSucre.com. Desserts daily & nightly. Open late weekends. Chocolates, pastry and gelato draw rave reviews at this new dessert destination. Beautiful packaging makes this a great place to shop for gifts. Catering available.

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

In which we select the tops from a year of a few small steps backward and many great leaps forward.

In which we select the tops, without reservations

DECEMBER 2013

myneworleans.com

For the most part 2012 was a great year for dining, though there was bad news, or at least challenges, for some of the city’s venerable institutions. The worst news was the closing of Brennan’s, long one of the city’s top white tablecloth restaurants. The sudden shutdown had more to do with family internal disputes than with performance from the kitchen, which was still cranking out great dishes. (Indications are that a different restaurant, though under the same family, will open at the Royal Street location in the spring.) Over at the Roosevelt Hotel the once elegant Sazerac restaurant was closed to make room for a return of the Fountain Lounge and a more casual setting. For a while it looked like Tujague’s might be lost forever but there was a happy ending as the late owner Steven Latter’s son, Mark, took over. Broussard’s, another grand resultant changed hands. We will miss Gunther Preuss in the kitchen and be eager to watch if the new owners can maintain the same grandeur. Beyond those places most of the restaurant news was about start-ups or existing places, many of which were not around a decade ago, if that long, getting better. Thus we present out annual Best of Dining issue as a way of keeping track of who is serving whom, who is in the kitchen and who is stirring up not just sauce but excitement. Selections were made by our trio of restaurant writers plus the editorial staff. With so much to choose from, making the choices was challenging. Even more challenging is that 2013 looks like it will be an even bigger year. Maybe we will have to choose over brunch at whatever Brennan’s becomes.

T h e d a n g e r w i t h becoming a successful chef, if you love to prepare food, is that you tend to spend more of your time managing other cooks than cooking. Chef Michael Stoltzfus told me that when he was faced with that problem recently, it led him to start doing something he hadn’t before. He began saying “no.” Stoltzfus opened his first restaurant, Coquette, in 2008, and ever since, he’s steadily been accumulating both praise and employees. From a starting staff of nine, including only three in the kitchen, Coquette now employs 40. He has been nominated for Best Chef, South by the James Beard Foundation and named a Star Chef by Food & Wine Magazine, among other accolades. With the attention came requests to participate in all manner of projects, and for a while Stoltzfus accepted pretty much everything. It kept him away from Coquette, and ultimately he decided to be more selective. That is a choice that benefits diners in New Orleans, because while Stoltzfus has always been technically proficient, he’s grown into an imaginative cook as well. The more time he’s in the kitchen, the better for those of us who love how he and Coquette have developed over the last five years. Stoltzfus told me that when he opened Coquette, he was still GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H

CHEF of the Year

Michael Stoltzfus Charting his own path cooking the food of the restaurants where he’d trained, and still looking at cookbooks for inspiration. When I reviewed the restaurant in 2010, one of the standout dishes was fried shrimp with citrus and olives. It was a fantastic dish and I’d be happy to eat it again, but at the time I wrote it reminded me of something I’d see at John Besh’s August. That is hardly a criticism, but these days, Stoltzfus and his staff – particularly chef de cuisine Mason Hereford – are charting their own path. myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

There are a bunch of other things Stoltzfus has prepared that stick in my mind, but when I talked to him in preparation for writing this article the first one I brought up was a dish that earned him an award at a StarChefs event in April 2012. He agreed that the market vegetable salad, which is on Coquette’s menu to this day, exemplifies the restaurant’s style. In the dish, Stoltzfus takes seasonal vegetables and prepares them fairly simply. The only thing on the plate that’s obviously complicated are the little mounds of granular olive “praline” that most diners mistake for bacon. Everything else at least appears to be cooked simply – poached, pickled or roasted, for example – but perfectly executed in each case. What makes the dish great is the way the individual elements complement each other. What marks Stoltzfus as a great chef is that he pulls this feat off over and over, despite changing the ingredients on a fairly regular basis depending on what vegetables are available. The market vegetable salad also illustrates something more subtle about Stoltzfus; a lot of chefs talk about how “ingredient-driven” they are and tout their “rustic” food. There is nothing wrong with either concept, but on occasion one gets the sense that the terms are code-words for “I don’t have the training to do anything else.” Stoltzfus didn’t attend culinary school; he learned by doing, but there’s no lack of technique in his food and no better evidence that he knows what he’s doing than that salad. In addition to the variety of methods used to cook the half-dozen individual vegetables on any given plate, Stoltzfus prepares a cashew nut purée as the base of the dish. The aforementioned dehydrated olive “praline” powder is evidence that he can go the molecular gastronomy route when called upon as well. You can detect some element of Southern cooking in a lot of his food: butternut squash cavatelli with fried chicken and maple brings to mind chicken and waffles, and soft-shell crab with tomato, bacon and sweet corn couldn’t be much more emblematic of the region. It isn’t an obvious influence in everything he puts on the plate, and honestly by the time you read this he may have changed the menu so dramatically that everything I’ve mentioned (apart from the market vegetable salad) is no longer available. As long as Coquette keeps putting out such consistently excellent food, that’s just fine. What I’m saying is that Stoltzfus can cook, and more than that he’s got a passion both for the process and for trying new things. I remember tasting grilled lamb heart a couple of years ago, and then discussing it with him shortly thereafter; he was clearly enthusiastic about the dish, and about how else he might use the ingredient and other less-used parts of the whole lambs he’d been getting from a local purveyor. It is the same sort of thing that resulted in a huge barbecue rig being parked outside of the restaurant, and the start of a garden in the restaurant’s small rear patio where Stoltzfus was, when I last checked, just starting to try his hand at agriculture with help from other members of his staff. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in a month or three, the menu lists “our backyard” as the source of a few ingredients. When I began this piece, I said chef Stoltzfus has started saying “no” to requests that take him out of Coquette, but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped altogether. I know this first-hand, as I solicited him to cook at the Justice for All Ball, a fundraiser for the New Orleans Pro Bono Project that’s held each fall. As I write, but before this article will reach you, he’s also scheduled to cook at City Grit in New York. – R o b e r t P e y t o n

DECEMBER 2013

myneworleans.com

Coquette, 2800 Magazine St., 265-0421, CoquetteNola.com

RESTAURANT of the Year

Dominique’s on Magazine Making a grander statement For the latest iteration of his namesake restaurant, chef Dominique Macquet partnered with Mike Schexnayder to reinvent a former firehouse on Magazine Street. When the doors opened in early March 2013 following its 18-month renovation, it offered far more seating, parking and versatility than his prior location in a Creole cottage a few blocks away. More to the point, it made a statement. From the exterior, its symmetrically minimalist façade draws the eye while honoring the building’s original purpose. From within, the soaring ceilings and blown-out main dining room is softened by German white oak flooring, lighting design by Julie Neill and striking projection art installations by Courtney Eagan. The upper floor offers a second large dining room, a private 30-seat chef’s Signature Room and a separate kitchen for the inhouse cheese, dessert and bread programs. All of this, along with Macquet’s nationally acclaimed cuisine, makes Dominique’s on Magazine our pick for Restaurant of the Year. “We outgrew the first location in about three months,” Macquet explains. “My new partner Mike (Schexnayder) and I approached this project in a much different way.” In the process, Macquet essentially quadrupled his capacity, leveling up to 200 seats. The result

is a space tailored to hosting larger groups and private events, as well as comfortably accommodating traditional daily demands. Along with Schexnayder, Macquet’s wife Wendy plays a big role in the new location. “Wendy had a lot to do with the architecture, the decorating and the design,” Macquet says. In terms of operations, veteran event planner Wendy handles the booking for private events. Along with parties for big-name clients such as Adrien Brody and Harley-Davidson, they also hold fundraisers for charitable causes on a regular basis, including a monthly dinner for Macquet’s former Chef de Cuisine Quan Tran, who’s battling cancer. Among the interesting features of his new restaurant are the herb gardens in the rear courtyards. During the design process, it occurred to Macquet that vertical herb gardens could double as art and landscape installations. “Instead of having artwork out there, I said ‘Why don’t we use vertical herb gardens and I can use the herbs in the kitchen and also the bar program?’” Hydroponic herb pillars by local startup VertiFarms punctuate the smaller courtyard in the far back, while vertical wall gardens grace the larger courtyard immediately behind the main dining room. “We grow five kinds of basil, as well as rosemary, oregano and chives,” Macquet says. Potted

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H

Dominique Macquet

kaffir lime trees and a multitude of fiery peppers (scotch bonnet and ghost among them) are a few more of the offerings grown on site. Macquet, originally from the Indian Ocean colonial enclave French Mauritius, describes his cuisine as locally influenced contemporary French. Rather than butter and cream, he reaches for juices and oils to help bring out the inherent qualities and flavors of his ingredients. For example, in his remoulade sauce he uses oven-dried tomatoes in lieu of the usual ketchup, which contributes a genuine, far deeper tomato taste, as well as dollop of mint oil that makes it pop. These are small adjustments but they make a big difference in preparations often regarded as codified. Another instance of this approach can be seen in his

sautéed yellowtail entrée, which is accompanied by a lime and scotch bonnet pepper mojo sauce. To make it, he deglazes the pan with lime juice and uses oil rather than butter to emulsify the fond. “The lime juice helps to hold the flavors, kind of like with a beurre blanc,” he explains. “The scotch bonnet peppers add a little kick.” Rounding out the dish is an excellent side of saffron rice, punched up with fresh herbs from his gardens. For his lobster salad, Macquet uses knuckle and claw meat. It is served with blanched celery root and shaved fennel, traditional enough flavors whose subtlety complements the natural sweetness of the lobster. Then it gets finished with kaffir lime oil and plated atop basil aioli from his garden, touches that make the dish his own.

Dominique’s on Magazine, 4213 Magazine St., 891-9282, DominiquesOnMag.com

One of his more enticing winter dishes is his entrée of lamb belly, inspired by the spit-roasted lamb served at the New Orleans Greek Festival. “We cure the lamb belly with thyme and garlic overnight. The next day we confit it in lamb fat for about four hours,” he says. It is portioned and then seared to order in a cast iron skillet for service. Macquet’s menu is also grounded with earthier fare, like his Wagyu beef meatballs, a dish inspired by a late-night channel surfing session. “The Godfather was on and it was that scene where they were all eating spaghetti and meatballs. And I said to Wendy, ‘I’m going to make that for the restaurant.’ She told me, ‘You have too much of a big ego, you’re not going to make that – too lowbrow.’” But he went ahead with his plan; the next night a critic

came in and gave the dish a rave review, and its been on the menu ever since. From his auxiliary kitchen upstairs, Macquet turns out French baguettes and pain d’épices, a molasses and clove-scented spice bread that gets paired with seared foie gras and poached cherries. Some of the gear his staff has to play with up there includes a Pacojet, an ultra-fast food processer that’s great for making ice cream and mousses. A few of the desserts are sweetened with local beekeeper (and New Orleans Magazine’s health columnist) Dr. Brobson Lutz’s “Honey from the Hood.” Finally, in what has become something of Macquet’s hallmark denouement, a cotton candy machine spins out a lighthearted endnote of green apple spun sugar. – Jay Forman

myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

myneworleans.com

RestauratEUR of the Year

Dickie Brennan Restaurateur with a passion

Lauren, deliver flyers around the French Quarter and Garden District announcing the inauguration of the event in 1975. When asked by his dad how many people would likely show up, Brennan said, “maybe 100.” Dick said, “100? That would be fantastic.” The first Jazz Brunch at Commander’s Palace attracted 200 patrons, and the doors had to be closed as those fortunate souls who were present didn’t want to leave. Redfish was abundant and was considered a very versatile food item by the restaurant. But no one really wanted to eat the fish.

The Brennans and their chef, Paul Prudhomme, decided to “Cajunup” the dish with a bit of pepper and other spices sprinkled on the beautiful white meat. Blackened Redfish was born. Those are the sorts of creations, among others, that the Brennan family invented. We just take it for granted that Jazz Brunches and Blackened Redfish have always been with us. Dickie Brennan is the only member of the Brennan family who served in the capacity of Executive Chef, which he did at Palace Café. He is very aware about the importance of obtaining the proper raw

ingredients, combining them to reflect the culinary history of our region and presenting them in an exciting fashion. Brennan is incredibly committed to local ingredients. “I don’t understand when you live here, in the center of one of the great fishing and agricultural locations on earth, why you would feel the need to bring in product from a great distance. We have all manner of fish, crops, fruits, meats, nuts, dairy and sweet ingredients. They are all here, and we know that staying local means better, fresher results from the kitchen.” Brennan’s passion even extends to our buildings. He and his family beautifully reclaimed the Werlein’s for Music building on Canal Street for Palace Café, a true New Orleans bistro. They brought back the corner of Royal and Iberville streets from a hodge-podge of seedy clubs and bars to emerge as Mr. B’s. He enriched the corner of Bourbon and Iberville streets, bringing the excitement and energy of the street into the restaurant with floor-to-second story ceiling windows at Bourbon House. He took a piece of a parking garage and made it into one of the premier steak houses in town with Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse. And in his latest commitment, he and his organization provided the shuttered Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré with an important revenue stream, and in the process opened up a beautiful new restaurant, Tableau. Serving excellent dining experiences, being a 24-hour ambassador for our community, generously supporting quality of life issues and preserving our history and culture are not the only reasons we’re honoring our Restaurateur of the Year, Dickie Brennan. It is also true that everything he touches is done with love. – T i m M c N a l l y

Bourbon House, 144 Bourbon St., 522-0111, BourbonHouse.com; Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, 716 Iberville St., 522-2467, DickieBrennansSteakhouse.com; Palace Café, 605 Canal St., 523-1661, PalaceCafe.com; Tableau, 616 St. Peter St., 934-3463, TableauFrenchQuarter.com

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H

He is in love with his family, happily recalling almost every moment of his childhood and young adulthood in the most glowing terms imaginable. He is, self-admittedly, the luckiest guy in every room he inhabits. He is in love with his profession. He loves creating and presenting cuisines that make his patrons and friends gush with praise. But mostly, he’s in love with his hometown. Since Dickie Brennan is New Orleans through and through, he’s never far from a New Orleans thought. Brennan had the good fortune to grow up in a famous family that never thought of themselves as famous. They were simply Aunt Adelaide, Aunt Ella, Daddy Dick, Paul Prudhomme, Frank Brigtsen, Truman Capote and Arnold Palmer, among many names with whom we’re all familiar but don’t know. From De La Salle High School to Louisiana State University, Brennan worked in the kitchens of the family’s restaurants. He even removed paint and years of detritus from the awning over the main door at the then soonto-open Mr. B’s. He found that the awnings were actually copper – no one knew. LSU was OK, but he wanted to get back home before his senior year. Loyola University was the school of choice and finance was the major. He was back in New Orleans, working part-time at Commander’s Palace and enjoying breakfast at Aunt Adelaide’s home at Second and Prytania streets. “Commander’s Palace in those days was struggling. We wanted to do something to attract more diners,” Brennan recalls. “And we didn’t want to conflict with Breakfast at Brennan’s, but we knew how to do that. So Dad (Dick) thought about staging a Sunday Jazz Brunch.” They printed some flyers and had Brennan and his sister,

HONOR ROLL

Mr. Ed’s

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H

Succeeding with what you do best E d M cI n ty r e g r e w up around New Orleans cuisine. His stepdad, the late Bob “Smoky” Curry, and his mom operated the now long-closed The Smokehouse on Canal Boulevard. He was given a break into the business with a job at Louisiana Purchase as a busboy, working his way up to a dishwasher. Eventually he was at the stove, cooking the dishes he knew so well from his childhood. “The Major family, who began the concept of Louisiana Purchase, was very kind to me and taught me so much about this business,” McIntyre proudly says. In 1989, McIntyre opened Mr. Ed’s Deli on Veterans Boulevard. The next year he opened Mr. Ed’s on Live Oak Street in Bucktown and from there has opened and operated 14 restaurants. Mr. Ed’s has been serving classic New Orleans dishes ever since the doors opened, and was such a big fan of his momma’s cooking that he asked her to take part in Mr. Ed’s. She works at the podium, greeting guests, but McIntyre knows she’s keeping an eye on what comes out of the kitchen. There is nothing like having your mother in guest relations and quality assurance. “These are the dishes I’ve eaten all of my life. The white beans, the red beans, stuffed mirlitons, trout, fried chicken, gumbo, remoulade – oh man, I could go on,” he says. “My mother and my grandmother could do them all so well. I love that stuff, always have, and I just felt I wasn’t alone in my appreciation of those dishes.” From the beginning, Mr. Ed’s has been a New Orleans bistro. Yes, there are tablecloths and linen napkins, but then there are big iceberg lettuce salads slathered in thousand-island dressing, crackers with butter, Ed McIntyre fried shrimp with fries, hot sauce on every table, poor boys, a full bar, local beers on tap, veal Parmesan, grilled pork chops, cheese fries, turtle soup, shrimp cocktail, eggplant sticks, fried calamari and so much more. There is no definitive type of cuisine here. The marinara sauce, originally from Italy and Sicily, is a bit sweeter and a little spicier here. Fresh fish is lightly fried, as well as baked. The French-based sauces of New Orleans tend to be heavier than the true style still served in France or anywhere else. McIntyre has no problem

Mr. Ed’s, 1001 Live Oak St., Metairie, 838-0022, AustinsNo.com/MrEdsBucktown.html

being a “Keeper of the New Orleans Flame.” His family-oriented restaurant boasts a comfortable and unpretentious décor. His location, tucked into a residential area of Bucktown, doesn’t shout “cutting-edge.” Comfortable surroundings in which comfort foods take center stage were always his goal. “This is the sort of place that’s simply not seen in most of America anymore. We aren’t a chain. We aren’t slick in any way. Whether you grew up in New Orleans or not, this is a place that will not overwhelm you,” he says. “We are here every day, along with a long-time clientele, to actually savor the foods of the past. To us, they aren’t tired or out of style. They remind us of how lucky we all are to be here.” Which is why the basic direction of Mr. Ed’s is never altered. It is today what it opened up to be in 1990. “We always ate dinner together, almost every night, at home. It’s the feeling and the experience I want to recreate for my patrons, most of whom are my friends,” he says. Along with Mr. Ed’s, there are other restaurants of note at which you’re likely to see McIntyre because they belong to him. Austin’s, a more upscale steak-based fine dining restaurant, voted Favorite Steakhouse by New Orleans Magazine in 2011; and Cheeseburger Eddies, an order-at-the-counter burger place, both in Metairie. Then there’s a Mr. Ed’s in Kenner, smaller but with essentially the same menu as its namesake in Bucktown. The latest addition to the family is the iconic Bozo’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Metairie, now renamed Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar and Fish House. McIntyre and Chris “Bozo” Vodanovich have a warm and long friendship. When Vodanovich recently decided to close Bozo’s, his heart just couldn’t let him walk away and allow the restaurant to pass from the scene. McIntyre came forward, freshened the interior, added a few oyster dishes – such as grilled oysters – and welcomed back Vodanovich, who happily comes in to sit at the bar, enjoys oysters and sees his many old friends. Vodanovich says, “I can’t think of anyone I would more want to continue our family’s 85-year tradition than Ed and his family.” Neither can we, Chris. Neither can we. – T . m .

Steven Lemley, Jr. Finding the muse

S om e t i m e s t h e acorn really does fall far from the tree. In this case, about 350 miles in distance and much further than that philosophically. Steven Lemley Jr. grew up outside of Bossier City, La. He graduated from high school early. The University of New Orleans took note and offered him an academic scholarship; Lemley decided that pre-med was a path of interest and soon also pursued international studies. To earn extra money while at UNO, Lemley worked in retail. He loved the customer interaction, helping people find what they wanted and even suggesting items that they hadn’t considered but were likely to enjoy. A friend of his worked at the Chartres House Café and one Mardi Gras season they were quite shorthanded. He asked Lemley if he had any interest in climbing behind the bar and helping out. Lemley absolutely loved the experience of being around fun people enjoying themselves who were depending on him to keep the party going. But for him it went deeper than that. “I was amazed at all the chemistry that went into the construction of a good drink. Every ingredient had to bring something to the mix, and every ‘something’ had to remain in balance,” Lemley reflects. When he first surveyed the breadth of product in bottles sitting on the back of the bar he wasn’t intimidated, he was

DECEMBER 2013

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jazzed. All of those pretty toys in pretty packages caused the wheels in his head to turn even faster, and soon Lemley was creating new concoctions and tinctures at his home on his own time. “The bar wasn’t really committed to using fresh juices, or to developing its own infusions, so I did those at my house and brought them to work. Once I started the research and the chemistry, I couldn’t stop,” Lemley says. “Some of my friends noted it was ‘out of control,’ but I loved it.” There were several aspects to the job that provided impetus to his newfound passion. He liked serving people. He enjoyed the response he received from them when he prepared a drink to their satisfaction. He also loved suggesting new beverages for his customers. If they liked such-and-such, then he thought they would appreciate a different, but similar, beverage. And he was happy to open their minds to new experiences. Lemley also liked the chemistry of what he was creating. “To take dissimilar liquids and bring them together in a pleasant manner is actually its own reward,” he says. “I like the combination of sweet, savory,

in a video a leading gin distiller was producing to be shown around the world. His mom was in town and he invited her to the filming. She walked in to see her boy bathed in bright lights, the focus of attention, watching the cameras preparing to roll and a full production crew assuring that he was satisfied with the set-up. This was something she never expected: her lad at the center of what the fuss was all about. And just like that, being a budding mixologist, hailing from north Louisiana

ment sealed the deal for me,” Lemley says. “If I ever wavered about this activity, I was no longer questioning. I was heart and soul a mixologist.” There was really only one other hurdle to Lemley fully accepting his new career: Mom. Given his success in school, there were high expectations and a certain belief regarding Lemley’s commitment as to what the family envisioned he could achieve – until one particular visit to New Orleans. Lemley was to be featured

and making a mark in New Orleans wasn’t only fine, but was cause for telling all of her friends how successful young Steven was. He had made Mom proud. Besides creating balance in a mixed drink, providing good companionship, possessing a strong desire to please and discovering still emerging talents, making Mom proud is way up there for reasons to recognize Steven Lemley Jr. as New Orleans Magazine’s Mixologist of the Year. – T . m .

Bourbon “O” Bar, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, 717 Orleans St., 523-2222, BourbonOrleans.com

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H

MIXOLOGIST of the Year

sour, maybe even bits of fruit or herbs, and bringing about an enjoyable result. Balance is the achievable goal with everything I do.” Cheryl Charming, noted New Orleans mixologist and author, recognized the talent and the passion of this young man and offered him a position at Bombay Club. The late Richard Fiske, proprietor of Bombay, gave him free rein to create new drinks, but also insisted that he adhere to proven recipes demanded by the club’s clientele. “Working for those people in that environ-

Sainte Marie Brasserie opened with a big media push back Chef Kristen Essig in 2010. Yet despite its striking build-out in the 930 Poydras St. building and a savvy ownership group with experience in melding bars with fine dining, the restaurant lacked a coherent identity. Was it a gastropub? Traditional brasserie? Quick-turn business lunch? It had the right pieces to play with but they just didn’t fit together. Not helping things was a revolving door of chefs. The last tragedy to befall them was the loss of promising talent Ngoc Nguyen, who died of a heart attack at 33 in January 2013. It was into this vacuum that Kristen Essig stepped, and it’s her vitality that has energized Sainte Marie. The puzzle has been put together now, and for this reason we’ve awarded it this year’s Under the Radar Award. It was a circuitous route that led Essig to Sainte Marie. After building a skill set in New Orleans fine dining at such places as Emeril’s, Peristyle and Bayona pre-Katrina, she switched gears to work as a private chef and manage the Crescent City Farmers Markets; but eventually the itch to get back to her roots returned. “It got to the point where I really missed the camaraderie of the kitchen,” Essig says. It was a chance encounter that led to Sainte Marie. Essig bumped into chef Alex Harrell of Sylvain with whom she had previously worked at Bayona. Essig mentioned she was ready to “do the next thing,” and a few weeks later Harrell called saying that Sainte Marie was looking for a new chef. “The way it fell together was very organic,” Essig recalls. When Essig stepped into the role, the first thing she did was upgrade the sourcing and quality of the ingredients. She bought local when she could, drawing on her network of purveyors established from her experience with the farmers markets. And even by today’s locavore-obsessed standards, Sainte Marie’s list of partners is vast, encompassing all facets of the menu. Mauthes Dairy, Bellegarde Bakery and Local Boy Farms are represented, along with bigger names such as Covey Rise and Chappapeela Farms. Essig’s style is therefore ingredient driven, and she’s fond of bright notes and fresh flavors – mint and lemon zest, for example, along with fruit used in savory roles. The tomato-mint broth with her mushroom agnolotti highlights this approach. “The mint just brightens everything up about that dish,” she says. Essig also taps into second-line culture with ya ka mein, the beloved hangover-cure egg noodle and broth dish. It started as family meal, brought in by her colleague Samantha Massey. “Sam would heat it up and we would all just sort of crowd around and say, ‘Yeah, we need some of that,’” Essig says. She liked it so much she rolled it out onto the regular menu, giving it a bit of a twist with using fresh ramen noodles from Hong Kong Food Market. Essig provides a down-to-earth approach to fine dining. Her main motivation is that food should be fun, enjoyable and something that brings people together. And while the restaurant’s full name is Sainte Marie Brasserie, truthfully it isn’t truly traditional brasserie fare. Sure, posed informal food and music mash-up tentatively scheduled for the New you can find a good hanger steak with requisite frites, but not too many Year. Murf Reeves, Sainte Marie’s bartender and general manager, also Frenchmen will plate up Louisiana shrimp and grits with tasso in an hosts a show on WWOZ, and the idea is to pair food and cocktails with a Abita beer broth, or a quinoa and crabmeat salad with smoked goat local artist who will also perform a short set. “It will be like music in edible cheese and niçoise olives. There are also pronounced elements of southform. I am super excited about that,” Essig says. ern cuisine (pepper jelly glazed pork chop, for example) and even the Going into winter, look for new items to roll onto the menu, including old school standards like steamed mussels pick up some international a beef tartare recently featured as a special for her Bayou Teche dinner. flourish from the use of white miso in the broth. Her grilled duck with Made with a chipotle marinade then tossed with cocoa nib, it becomes a crackling and a honey-hazelnut demi-glace hits all the comfort notes for fun play on a mole. And while Sainte Marie is typically closed on Sundays, cold weather. they open their doors for Saints home games and feature a pared down Essig often runs dinner specials partnering with purveyors or other game-day menu with twists such as drumettes cooked in duck fat and aspects attenuated to New Orleans life. One of the more creative is a protossed with a Thai chili-garlic sauce. – J . F .

UNDER the RADAR

Sainte Marie Brasserie

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H

Fine dining with a down to earth touch

Sainte Marie Brasserie, 930 Poydras St., Suite 101, 304-6988, SainteMarieNola.com

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DECEMBER 2013

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CONCEPT of the Year

Pêche Seafood Grill Other Fish in the Sea; and Ways to Cook Them

catfish and squash or bacon and rice casserole; and you get a sense of Herbsaint when you taste the capellini with crabmeat and chiles, the seafood gumbo or the grilled skirt steak with salsa verde. Then there are things like the catfish with pickled greens and chili broth or the baked drum with ginger, tomato and crispy rice that don’t really have a recognizable antecedent from the chefs’ other restaurants, and of course the whole grilled fish, which is more or less sui generis. The whole fish and the 22-ounce rib-eye are designed to be shared by at least two diners. That approach works perfectly

Chef Ryan Prewitt

when you add a couple of appetizers and you get to choose from side dishes such as brabant potatoes, grilled eggplant with chiles and garlic or white beans with bacon. A few months ago I ran into chef Link while I was eating at Pêche. Link (and this is true of Stryjewski and Prewitt for that matter) is the kind of guy who lights up when he’s talking about food. What I remember most about that conversation was the way he described the Royal Red shrimp. He is fond of them, and justifiably so; they’re large, sweet-salty things that are cooked in a little butter but otherwise basically un-seasoned. They are the

perfect example of what ingredient-driven cooking should be – not an excuse for a lack of technique, but the recognition that some things are best enjoyed simply. The restaurant is housed in a newly and extensively renovated space located at 800 Magazine St. The oddly small entrance is located between the bar and the long, open dining room, with the raw bar and kitchen at the other end. The bar is roomy and was clearly designed to house the overflow crowds the place generates on a regular basis. Ample glass on the Magazine Street side lets in a lot of light, and similar to the layout at Cochon, a few communal tables are available for larger parties. Speaking of the bar, it hasn’t been ignored at Pêche. Craft cocktails are de rigeur at any restaurant with ambition these days, and Pêche doesn’t disappoint. The selection changes, but the Hemingway is one of the standards; it’s composed of Hendrick’s gin, maraschino liqueur, muddled cucumber and grapefruit and lime juices, and it’s delicious. The 3rd Ward Zombie pairs Barbancourt 8 year old and Goslings dark rum with Nocello, pineapple and lime juices; it’s also pretty damn good, if a little on the strong side. Pastry chef Rhonda Ruckman handles the desserts, and she has a little more room to work at Pêche than at Cochon, where things are a bit more rustic generally. Peachalmond crisp with cinnamon ice cream, pistachio-crusted blueberry tart with a chantilly cream made from local honey and flourless chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip sherbet are the sorts of things you can expect, each with a suggested pairing of a liqueur or cordial that, in my experience, is spot-on. – R . P .

Pêche Seafood Grill, 800 Magazine St., 522-1744, PecheRestaurant.com

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H S

Pêche means

“fishing” in French, but change the spelling to péché and it’s “sin.” In the case of the restaurant on Magazine Street opened earlier this year by chefs Ryan Prewitt, Stephen Stryjewski and Donald Link, the former is what’s intended, but you have to admit that both meanings are apt for a restaurant in New Orleans. Pêche was conceived as a seafood restaurant, but after the chefs spent time in Uruguay and Spain, they knew that a wood-burning grill had to be a feature as well. Factor in a raw bar and a serious drinks program and you get one of the most interesting restaurants to open in New Orleans in quite some time. It isn’t as though the place is immune to trends – there are small plates and bar food on the menu – but there aren’t a lot of other places doing whole fish on a wood-burning grill (redfish with salsa verde and American snapper with Meyer lemon on my last visit) and certainly none where the fish changes with such frequency that they print an insert daily. That insert also lists the oysters they have available and what they’re doing in the way of raw fish. There are always a few other items available on the raw side – a seafood salad, crab claws with chile and mint and a seafood platter, for example and highlights from the “snacks” menu include a smoked tuna dip served with saltines, hush puppies and fried bread with sea salt that’s completely addictive. Three talented chefs means there’s a good bit of diversity to the menu, but it comes together. You can see a bit of Cochon in dishes like the crab and eggplant gratin, grilled chicken with white barbecue sauce, smothered

Resurging Ideas

A food truck on every block If the three most important rules of business success are “location, location, location,” then the food trucks of New Orleans have the landscape well covered. Food trucks have been around almost since the founding of the city in the form of carts, and have captured the “flavors” of New Orleans. Their diversity of product offerings, their fun atmosphere and their ability to set up where they’re wanted (except the French Quarter and certain parts of the CBD) have never been misunderstood by local foodies; they aren’t a substitute for dining in restaurants, but rather have become an adjunct to the local quest for fine and interesting cuisine under all sorts of circumstances. The path hasn’t always been smooth, nor – and I cannot resist this comment – have the roads. New Orleans City Ordinances regarding food service and restaurants are quite stringent and well defined. But in June of this year, the City Council, with considerable community and industry input, modernized the criteria that allowed the food truck craze to continue and expand. Better flexibility was enacted, which, in effect, took into consideration the realities of food truck operations and locations. The Council properly considered the rights of all parties and the La Cocinta Food Truck desires of the populace. An excellent

Resurging Ideas

Fried chicken in every skillet

GREG M I L E S P H O T O GRA P H S

Given this city’s geographic location and our history of being involved with regional affairs, it’s interesting that New Orleans doesn’t act like or consider itself a “Southern city.” Tellingly, during this nation’s great war between ourselves, when the Union Army took New Orleans, no battle was staged. We were Creole, not southerners. The ladies of New Orleans only became outraged toward the conquering army when their household valuables and family heirlooms, namely silverware, were confiscated for the Northern Cause. The local commanding Union General, Benjamin “Spoons” Butler, will never lose his nickname in our history. We were moved to action not by the ideology but by the methodology. Yet, we don’t allow culinary opportunities to pass, and so we embrace the Southern food heritage. Creating and enjoying great fried chicken is every New Orleanian’s birthright, and the subject of debate and quest. The ultimate answer to, “Who makes the best fried chicken in town?” is your mama. The concept of Popeyes Spicy Fried Chicken was born here and

compromise was achieved. In a town literally littered with amazing dining opportunities, how does a food truck make an impact? Mostly it’s two things: 1) Serve items that are delicious and unique; 2) Be where the customers are, or can find you. Some trucks actually have regular stops, and most will appear at frequently scheduled Food Truck Rallies or, and these outings are becoming particularly popular, the trucks appear at outdoor festivals, parties, family gatherings, corporate meetings, sports events and church functions. The longest surviving New Orleans food truck, the Roman Candy Wagon, has been roaming our streets since 1915, selling the sweet taffy sticks from the original still muledrawn wagon that also serves as the manufacturing facility. Food truck licenses will expand to 100 in early 2014, so we can anticipate that this exciting concept will be more accessible. The website NolaFoodTrucks.com is operated by a coalition of a few trucks whose owners were instrumental in changing the city ordinances. – T . m . A not-complete listing of just a few of the more popular food trucks: Taceaux Loceaux. Tacos, of course, offering both meat and fish fillings The Fat Falafel. Middle Eastern sandwiches, salads and tabbouleh Empanada Intifada. Latin American empanadas, both meat and vegetarian Que Crawl. Barbecue, Cajun and Creole meats, and vegetables Frencheeeze Mobile Food Truck. Mostly sandwiches, hot and cold, with an exten-

sive menu La Cocinita. “Little Kitchen,” serving Latin American street food Brigade Coffee. One of the most interestingly designed food trucks on the street serving really good coffee Woody’s Fish Tacos. Fish and meat tacos, also cabbage slaw with remoulade Big Cheesy. Sandwiches Brazilian Barbecue. Not quite authentically Brazilian

unloosed upon the world from our community. In the middle 1970s, Hart’s Kentucky Fried Chicken was an integral presence throughout the metro area. By the early ’80s, not a single location was still open, replaced by Popeyes and happily patronized by locals who soon enjoyed a location of their own in their neighborhood. Pre-dating that seismic change, every faubourg’s family and casual dine-in restaurant was measured by the goodness of their gumbo and the perfection of their fried chicken. The first measure of whether a place serves good fried chicken is that when you order, you’re told that preparation is going to be about 20 minutes. Secondly, is there a slice of slightly toasted white bread under the chicken when it arrives at your table? And then, upon arrival at your table, is the chicken almost too hot to pick up and eat? Places that can do a platter of fried chicken to its southern and soul perfection are Liuzza’s on Bienville, Katie’s, Mr. Ed’s (also noted this year as the winner of New Orleans Magazine Honor Roll), Fury’s, Liuzza’s on Bienville, 3636 Jacques-Imo’s, 8324 Oak St., Galatoire’s, Mandina’s, 861-0886 Bienville St., 482-9120 Willie Mae’s Scotch House, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, Katie’s, 3701 Iberville St., 2301 Orleans Ave., 821-0600 488-6582 Lil Dizzy’s, Jacques-Imo’s, Dixie Chicken & Ribs, 6264 Mr. Ed’s, 1001 Live Oak St., Dooky Chase’s (for both Argonne Blvd., 488-1377 Metairie, 838-0022 gumbo and fried chicken) Chubbie’s Fried Chicken, Fury’s, 724 Martin Behrman and Dixie Chicken and Ribs 4850 General Meyer Ave., St., Metairie, 834-5646 in Lakeview. 392-2377 Galatoire’s, 209 Bourbon St., If take-out is your preferChicken Sue’s, 203 W. 525-2021 Harrison Ave., 371-5546 ence, look to Chubbie’s, Mandina’s, 3800 Canal St., McHardy’s ,1458 N. Broad 482-9179 Chicken Sue’s, McHardy’s St., 949-0000 Willie Mae’s Scotch House, and the lone location of McKenzie’s Chicken in a 2401 St. Ann St., 822-9503 McKenzie’s Fried Chicken in Box, 3839 Frenchmen St., Lil Dizzy’s, 1500 Esplanade 943-8908 Gentilly. – T . m . Ave., 569-8997

Willie Mae’s Scotch House myneworleans.com

DECEMBER 2013

HEALTH CONSCIOUS RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

The Green Fork

TIKI RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Cane & Table

A kaleidoscopic menu of smoothies and freshly squeezed juice concoctions paints the backdrop of The Green Fork. Skip the highfructose chain smoothie outlets and punch your straw into a new kind of post-workout Muscle Punch – the “Serenity” smoothie featuring banana, almond butter, coconut water, mango, bee pollen, hemp protein, vanilla and honey. Healthy catering is also part of their business, a rarity in New Orleans. Their Prytania Street location also offers grab-and-go salads and sandwiches. – J . F . The Green Fork, 1400 Prytania St., 267-7672; 200 Metairie Road, 309-3677, GreenForkNola.com

The high drink-IQ guys behind Cure and so many other avantgarde cocktail destination bars have worked out a new concept, which includes food, through a try-it-out-first, “pop-up” path. They have come up with Cane & Table, a Tiki-culture, rum-driven establishment along a stretch of Decatur Street that was given up for lost. Their early success, and the efforts of teammate Adam Biderman of Company Burger who’s overseeing what comes out of the kitchen, bodes well for all of the moving parts: history, location, concept, staff, authenticity and execution. – T . M . Cane & Table, 1113 Decatur St., 581-1112

VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Gracious Bakery+Cafe You can find excellent bread at Gracious, both loaves and holding together a focused list of delicious sandwiches, but Megan Roen Forman – who owns the shop with her husband Jay (yes, this magazine’s Jay Forman) cut her teeth as a pastry chef at Bayona and Sucré, among other places, and the muffins, cookies, croissants and other pastries – both sweet and savory – are the reason to visit Gracious. – R . P . Gracious Bakery + Cafe, Woodward Design + Build, 1000 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway, 301-3709, GraciousBakery.com

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Ba Chi Canteen

While New Orleans offers a bounty of Vietnamese restaurants, their menus can seem interchangeable. Not so at Ba Chi Canteen, where traditional components collide in untraditional ways. Explore their “baco” submenu and enjoy folded-over steamed bao disks stuffed with shrimp and tamarind or pork belly, among other options. The accompaniments make use of an international pantry, throwing the doors wide open for creative expression, with dishes like their kimchee fries. – J . F . Ba Chi Canteen, 7900 Maple St., 373-5628

S ARA E S S E X B RAD L E Y P H O T O GRA P H S

BAKERY OF THE YEAR

STEAKHOUSE OF THE YEAR

Mr. John’s Steakhouse

Kudos to Desi Vega, Rodney Salvaggio and Paul Varisco, the team behind Mr. John’s Steakhouse. This savvy collection of partners sidestepped trends to get to the meat of the matter: excellent steaks broiled to order in an 1800-degree oven. The platters arrive sizzling, the salads and appetizers are unpretentious and the list of sides reads like a letter from an old friend. Carnivores craving the quintessential steakhouse experience will love Mr. John’s. – J . F . Mr. John’s Steakhouse, 2111 St. Charles Ave., 679-7697, MrJohnsSteakhouse.com

MEXICAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Taqueria Guerrero

Walking a nacho-thin line between the cheese-and-salsadriven cuisine of Tex-Mex and the fresh-ingredient, herbtinged cuisine of Old Mexico, Taqueria Guerrero is the kind of place normally found in large communities near the nation’s international borders. There are no pretensions or artificiality; the food is the star. It almost has to be because this establishment doesn’t possess a license to serve alcohol. Nachos, tacos, enchiladas, tamales, fajitas and the usual collection, all done in an old style and in large, reasonably priced servings. – T . M . Taqueria Guerrero, 208 N. Carrollton Ave., 484-6959

ASIAN MASH-UP RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

S ARA E S S E X B RAD L E Y P H O T O GRA P H S

Lucky Rooster

Chef Neal Swidler’s menu at Lucky Rooster draws inspiration from China, Korea, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, and the kitchen expertly manages the balancing act that breadth implies. Noodles, steamed buns and soups are the highlights, but drinks – both spirited and non-alcoholic – are essential components of the operation. The title of this award may be awkward, but the recognition is justified. – R . P . Lucky Rooster, 515 Baronne St., 529-5825, LuckyRoosterNola.com

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100

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L ook i n g b a ck o n i t n o w , i t w oul d b e e a sy

to say I did it to bring joy to the children, or that I did it to honor a cherished holiday tradition in New Orleans. But in reality, like a lot of things in those days, I did it for the money. I confess that for crass monetary reasons alone I donned the noble mantle of the great and glorious Mr. Bingle, snowman adjutant to Santa Claus. In my defense, it was during the recession of the early 1990s, the hardscrabble days remembered in economic history as the – well, as the Recession of the Early 1990s. The glamour of the ’80s had faded. People walked the streets wearing flannel shirts or handmade skirts. You might say they looked “grungy.” For my part, I was working my way through college, simultaneously selling shoes, waiting tables and holding down a work-study job. The only pleasure I could afford was $1 cocktails at Ms. Mae’s Place. Canal Street reflected the times. Shop fronts were boarded up and painted to look like people were inside. There was a porno theater with a naked blowup doll stuffed into the ticket booth. Russell Stover Candies was on its last legs. D.H. Holmes, where my sister had recently worked, was no more. But one shimmering light remained: Maison Blanche, the grande dame of Canal Street. My oldest brother was part of a cadre of Armani suit-clad salesmen in the back on the first floor. Walking through the front doors to see him, I had the pleasure of passing a multitude of sparkly display cases where exquisite ladies in white sold perfume and makeup and jewelry. In November of 1991, my brother set forth an intriguing proposition: Put on a costume with a giant head and walk around the store during Hanukkah and Christmastime. The pay was the princely wage of $4.25 an hour, otherwise known as the federal statutory minimum. Now here was an offer that couldn’t be refused. I was shown to a secret chamber between the first and second floors known as “The Mezzanine.” There, hanging on a hook next to some lockers and glowing almost angelically under the flickering fluorescent lights, was a fluffy, white, man-sized onesie. On a bench below it was what appeared to be an enormous, upside-down ice cream cone. I lifted it, turned it around and came face-to-giantface with a legend. I looked into Mr. Bingle’s eyes. He and I became one. The Mezzanine was a sort of Batcave, a Fortress of Solitude for Mr. Bingle. This is where he came to life. This is where he took breaks. This is where he would simply stay out of sight for periods of time, to maintain the mystique and keep the shoppers guessing as to when Mr. Bingle might make another precious appearance, to be announced over the intercom. Once on the sales floor, Mr. Bingle made his way through the store in search of little children to greet. This may sound easy enough, but there were three challenges to being Bingle: No peripheral vision. This will come as a shock, but Mr. Bingle didn’t see from his eyes. (His eyes were about six and a half feet from the ground.) In fact, Mr. Bingle saw through a mesh material covering the small opening of his

mouth. As a result, Mr. Bingle had a tendency to bump into racks of clothing and almost fall down the escalator. Unstable head. Mr. Bingle’s head was actually a giant hollow helmet that the wearer had to keep in place through a strategic placement of the chin. Due to the thick cone-hat extending to a height of perhaps eight feet, it was top-heavy. This led to neck aches and – as you will see – tragedy. Hot suit. On the outside, Mr. Bingle looked nice and cold, like snow. On the inside was a sweaty, steaming underworld. Few people knew Bingle’s true identity – just my brother and some red-haired lady from the shoe department, as I recall. And so it happened that on the third floor, in the bedding department, Mr. Bingle himself fell in love. I say Bingle himself, because the man beneath the ice cream cone head was unknown to the girl in question. And yes. It was a complicated love. She was a few years older, a ravishing caramel-complexioned lass who sold pillows and blankets; let’s call her “Clarice.” Each time Mr. Bingle appeared on the third floor, Clarice would call out, coquettishly, “Heyyy, Mistuh Bing-gull.” She would take him by the arm, sit him down on one of the beds and chat him up. She would even put her hand on his knee. Soon, the bedding department became Mr. Bingle’s favorite part of the store. He could be found quite frequently on the third floor. His heart raced on the escalator ride up. But eventually fate turned against Mr. Bingle. Given the heat of the costume, he found it necessary at times to retreat to The Mezzanine, remove his head and sit directly in front of an air-conditioning unit. This, as common sense would tell you, made Mr. Bingle sick. Soon he was walking around with a stuffy nose or hopped up on anti-histamines. One day Mr. Bingle was making his way through the store in a daze, trying to keep from bumping into things, when he came across a little boy and his mother. The little boy, perhaps 3 or 4, looked up at Mr. Bingle in wide-eyed amazement. Mr. Bingle stooped down to shake the boy’s hand – and his giant head tumbled off and onto the boy. The boy started to shriek. As Mr. Bingle picked up his head and apologized, the mother took the hand of her poor weeping son and stomped off. Mr. Bingle put his head back on. The mother turned and shot him a hard glower, as if to say, “What the hell is wrong with you?” Later, up in the bedding department, Mr. Bingle sought solace in the company of Clarice. But today, she intended to take their relationship a step further. She wanted to look inside Mr. Bingle’s mouth. At first, Bingle hesitated. But he could never say no to Clarice. As she gazed into his mouth, she gazed into his real eyes for the first time. She saw the face of a scrawny, ill 18-year-old. He was just a kid. Through the gauze, Mr. Bingle could read it in her expression: The magic was gone. The love between them could never be. Of course, it couldn’t have ended otherwise. Christmas Eve passed and Mr. Bingle disappeared from the sales floor. For a snowman’s time is short, and then he melts away.

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Bernard Docusen

“ T h e l a st t i m e a n yo n e f r om N e w O r l e a n s

moved as fast as Pete Herman was when they raided a Storyville pleasure house.” So goes a popular description of New Orleans boxer Pete Herman, a diminutive former shoeshine boy who might have been more at home in jockey silks, but whose body punching style and in-fighting skills earned him the world bantamweight title in 1917. My grandfather taught me about the “sweet science” of boxing in the late 1950s and early ’60s when we would watch the Gillette Friday Night Fights from Madison Square Garden. Under clouds of his cigar smoke we watched Sugar Ray Robinson, Gene Fullmer, Archie Moore, Emile Griffith, Floyd Patterson and a brash newcomer named Cassius Marcellus Clay. He would regale me with stories of the great 102

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Ralph Dupas

Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano. He also told me that New Orleans played an important role in the history of boxing. The popularity of boxing in New Orleans dates to the early 1830s, when waves of Irish immigrants provided an enthusiastic audience. The Irish became masters of prize fighting in the 19th century as a way to profit and to gain social recognition in much the same way that blacks would in the mid-20th century. Prizefights occurred infrequently in and around New Orleans mostly because it was illegal. Early bouts were held in rural settings – barns or clearings in the woods – anywhere where wooden posts and ropes could be hastily erected to define the ring and where paying crowds could be accommodated. Sometimes fights were held on barges anchored in the river to prevent police interference. The

Tony Canzoneri

Bernard Ducusen vs. Sugar Ray Robinson

Metairie Course, a racetrack established in 1838 where the present day Metairie Cemetery is located, was a popular destination. Bare knuckle fighting was carried out under London Prize Ring Rules, a mixture of boxing and wrestling. Rounds would last as long as both fighters were standing, whether it was for 10 minutes or 10 seconds. If a fighter went down, the round was over. In 1870, British champion Jem Mace chose New Orleans as the site for his next title bout against American champion Tom Allen for a $2,500 purse and the world championship. The two camps set out on May 10 for a location described as “13 miles from New Orleans” which was, in fact, a small town known as Kennerville, easily reached on the Jackson Railroad. Mace defeated Allen in 10 rounds over 44 minutes

Ralph Dupas vs. Johnny DiGilio

before several thousand fans, including General Phillip A. Sheridan and former American champion John Heenan. This match is thought to be the very first world championship prizefight, and a bronze statue in Kenner’s Rivertown area commemorates the event. New Orleans was the intended location for the 1882 match between John L. Sullivan and Paddy Ryan, which was relocated to Mississippi City (near Gulfport) as well as the famous 1889 fight between Sullivan and Jake Kilrain, which was moved to Richburg (south of Hattiesburg). The latter was the last bare-knuckle championship fight in America. Both were forced to relocate based on political opposition from state and local authorities. Soon enough boxing promoters in New Orleans found a way around the 1882 state law that prohibited “permyneworleans.com

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333333333333333333333333 Billed as the “Second Battle of New Orleans” James Corbett defeated heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan in 1892.

A statue in Kenner commemorates the site where in 1870 British Jem Mace fought American champion Tom Allen.

John L. Sullivan James Corbett

sonal combat with fists” by arranging bouts under the Marquess of Queensbury Rules which required, among other things, that fighters cover their fists with padded gloves. In January of 1890, the New Orleans city council revised city ordinances to categorize prizefights sponsored under Queensbury Rules by regularly chartered athletic clubs as “permissible exhibitions.” The most famous of these athletic clubs was the Olympic Club, chartered in 1883 and located on Royal Street between Montegut and Clouet streets. Its 3,500-seat area hosted local fighters and boxing’s elite, including Bob Fitzsimmons, Jack Dempsey (the original), Billy Myer, Jimmy Carroll, Peter Maher, Charlie Mitchell and Frank Slavin. CARNIVAL OF CHAMPIONS. The high point of New

Orleans boxing and the Olympic Club came in 1892 with the “Carnival of Champions” featuring three title bouts over three days. Their arena was expanded from 3,500 seats to 10,000 seats for the event. The Sept. 5 match was between lightweights Jack McAuliffe and Billy Myer; McAuliffe won with a 15th round knockout for the title and a $9,000 purse. The Sept. 6 match was between featherweights George “Little Chocolate” Dixon and Jack Skelly, which saw blacks admitted to the Olympic Club for the first time (albeit in a segregated section). Dixon pounded the title out of Skelly in eight rounds, causing such an uproar that it was Dixon’s first and last fight in the South. The Sept. 7, 1892 feature match was between John L. Sullivan and James Corbett – billed as the “Second Battle of New Orleans” – and saw Corbett out-maneuver, out-fight and out-last the champion, eventually knocking out Sullivan in the 21st round, winning the heavyweight title and a $25,000 purse. This fight marked the start of the modern era in boxing – from quasi-legal bare-knuckle fights held outdoors during the day to gloved matches held indoors in the comfort of an electrically illuminated arena. The torch had been passed. On April 6, 1893 a fight between local favorite Andy Bowen and Jimmy Burke of Galveston would become part of boxing history when the two lightweights battled for 110 rounds over seven hours and 19 minutes at the Olympic Club. Bowen was a scrapper who came at you like an alley cat fighting for his 104

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Born in Slidell, Tony Canzoneri is considered the most successful boxer to come from New Orleans.

Under Coach Tad Gormley, Loyola University’s boxing program produced a number of talented fighters in the 1930s.

ninth life. Burke broke both wrists and nearly every bone in his hands, but the bout ended in a draw, becoming the longest prizefight in United States history. Legal and social issues continued to plague boxing in New Orleans. Following Bowen’s death from injuries he received in a December 1894 fight with Kid Lavigne, the city once again clamped down on prizefighting and New Orleans was no longer was a preeminent site for title bouts. During the 19th century, boxing, like baseball and horse racing, had become a commercial pastime for urban residents of all ranks. Boxing didn’t disappear with the turn of the century. Indeed, the 20th century saw boxing become an Olympic sport at the 1904 games in St. Louis. In New Orleans, interest in the sport continued to grow. On Jan. 9, 1917, native son Pete Herman captured the world bantamweight title from Kid Williams in a 20-round bout with Herman getting the decision from referee Bill Rocap. Born Pete Gulotta, Herman had his first professional fight at the age of 16 against Eddie Coulon at the New Orleans Athletic Club. He won 100 fights before deteriorating eyesight forced his retirement in ’22. He operated a popular French Quarter nightclub on the corner of Burgundy and Conti streets until his death in ’73. New Orleans produced other notable fighters in the 1920s including Ray Culotta, Eddie Coulon, Joe Mandot, Johnny Fisse and Happy Chandler. But the best of them all was Tony Canzoneri. Born in Slidell, Canzoneri won his first fight on July 24, 1925 against Jack Grodner, the first of 19 consecutive victories. He became one of the best lightweights of all time and was ranked by Ring Magazine as the 34th best fighter of all-time and by ESPN as their 21st best fighter of all-time. He is probably the most successful boxer ever to hail from New Orleans, winning 80 percent of his 175 bouts. The 1930s saw the emergence of heavyweights Jimmy (Lacava) Perrin and Whitey Berlier; lightweights Ervin Berlier, Joe Brown and Johnny Cook; welterweights Eddie Wolfe and Henry Hull; and featherweights Harry Caminita, Lawson Disoso and Red Hart. Amateur and collegiate boxing was also alive and well. Under Coach Tad Gormley, Loyola University’s boxing program produced a number of talented fighters, such as Eddie

3333333333333333333333333 Leon Spinks lost his 1978 rematch and the heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in the Superdome.

By June of 1948 Bernard Docusen was so well regarded that he earned a shot at welterweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson.

In 1963 Willie Pastrano defeated Harold Johnson for the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight championships.

Flynn who was the 1933 AAU National Champion when he won a gold medal at the ’32 Olympics in Los Angeles as a welterweight. Loyola also produced boxers Clem Sehrt, Chester Schmitz, Pete Capriotti and Sewele Whitney in the early ’30s, followed by Santo Cuchinotto, Mike Dimaio, Jack Flynn, Ed Fallon and Pascal Glaviano in the late ’30s. From 1939 through ’45, New Orleanians understandably preferred to read the sports pages rather than the front-page news from Europe, but in post-War New Orleans boxing came roaring back. The three most popular gyms at the time were Curley’s Gym on St. Charles Avenue and Poydras Street; Marty Burke’s Gym on Bourbon Street; and Robinson’s Gym on Baronne Street. Promoter Lou Mesinna specialized in bouts for fighters who trained at Curley’s. Popular local pugilists included twins Harry and Bob Shaw, Francis Kercheval and the Docusan brothers. Bernard and Maxie Docusan – “Big Duke” and “Little Duke” respectively – achieved a measure of success both locally and nationally. By June of ’48 Bernard was so well regarded that he earned a shot at welterweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson. He went the 15-round distance with Robinson at Comiskey Park in Chicago, but lost the match to one of the greatest fighters the sport has ever known. BATTLING TO THE TOP. During the mid-1950s, New

Orleans businessman Blaise D’Antoni organized Louisiana Boxing Enterprises. Their first fight was on May 17, ’55 between Ralph Dupas and Frankie Rydd at Municipal Auditorium before a crowd of 9,200 fans. Dupas won the 10-round split decision. Dupas escaped crushing poverty by becoming a professional boxer at age 15 after changing his birth year to qualify for a license. He soon became a world-class fighter, getting his first title shot in 1958 against lightweight champion Joe “old Bones” Brown in Houston. He would lose in six rounds, but would continue to face best-in-class fighters such as Emile Griffith and Sugar Ray Robinson. On April 29, ’63, in his 123rd fight, Dupas won the world junior middleweight title from Denny Moyer at Municipal Auditorium. Over 16 years he would compile a record of 106 wins, 23 losses and 6 draws. His best friend and training partner was Willie Pastrano,

Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Roberto Duran and became the Welterweight champion in the famous 1980 “No Màs” match.

who turned pro at 16 and quickly worked his way through the light heavyweight ranks until on June 1, 1963, he defeated Harold Johnson for the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight championships. Trained by the legendary Angelo Dundee, Pastrano was a stablemate of Cassius Clay, now Muhammad Ali. The fights of Dupas, Pastrano, Percy Pugh and Jerry Pellegrini – the “Battling Barber from St. Bernard” – filled the sports pages and provided a young fan ample conversation with his grandfather. But the glory days of boxing in New Orleans were coming to an end. In the intervening years New Orleans would play host to a handful of premiere boxing events – the September 1978 bout between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks, the Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran “No Màs” match in November ’80 and Don King’s version of the “Carnival of Champions” in December ’82. Boxing today is more bombastic spectacle than sport. It is an expensive proposition for local operators to attract and train young men in New Orleans given the lure of other sports. But boxing continues to have its devotees in New Orleans including Loyola University President Fr. Kevin Wildes, S.J., Olympic hopeful Desmond Brock and junior Olympic champion Elijah Wilson. The alphabet soup of boxing organizations – WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO – each of which sanctions and promotes championship boxing, only serves to fracture and dilute the sport. Questionable promoters, such as Don King, have done more harm than good to the reputation of boxing. The criminal antics of Mike Tyson, Hector Camacho and others have reduced the stature of boxers from premiere athletes to street thugs. And while I know it’s unfair to focus solely on the negative at the expense of all of the positive aspects of sports in general and boxing in particular, it appears that the sport of boxing may be down for the count. As New Orleans continues to recover and prosper, we can be proud of so many aspects of the city’s rich history, including our role in the sport of boxing. I am reminded of it every time I think about my grandfather or when I thumb through my collection of boxing and baseball cards from the late 19thand early 20th-century, not with a sense of melancholy, but with genuine hope for more than nostalgia. myneworleans.com

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Food, Family, and Fun for the Holidays G

ather the family together this holiday season and make it a time to remember. New Orleans and the surrounding region are packed with funfilled activities for the family this year. From theater performances and guided tours to annual Reveillon dinners and more, sharing in the holiday cheer is easier than ever. Local restaurants are rolling out new menus and old favorites, while hotels and resorts deck the halls with twinkling lights and boughs of holly. Whether you’re continuing a fine dining family tradition or stopping for a quick bite during your holiday shopping spree, New Orleans restaurants dot every corner with a variety of flavors, spices and approaches to the culinary arts. Here are some local favorites sure to tempt your taste buds.

Dining When describing the handcrafted food and spirits offered at Wayfare, one of the newest dining establishments on burgeoning Freret Street, “crafted” is the key word. Wayfare chef, Kevin White, elevates sandwiches, salads and cocktails to new levels with fresher, finer ingredients. A sophisticated sandwich shop, Wayfare features homemade jams, spreads and mustards while offering unique side items, seasonal soups and a selection of Charcuterie and cheese plates. Sandwich favorites include the Knuckle – cold roast beef, shoe string potato crisps, pickled red onion, horseradish aioli, arugula on pretzel bun – and the BL(fg)T – fried green tomato, kurobuta bacon, red onion, spicy mayo and sweet potato hot sauce on 7 grain. Other offerings include a Roast Turkey with salsa verde aioli, a traditional Reuben and the flavor-packed Media Dia – black forest ham, salami, orange mojo pork, swiss, house-made pickles, jalapenos, yellow mustard and charred onion. Side offerings include Kurobuta Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw, Collard Greens, Potato Salad, Quinoa and Kale, and Roasted Marshmallowed Sweet Potatoes. 106

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For a full menu, including wine and cocktails, visit WarefareNOLA.com. Situated Uptown on Oak Street, Breads on Oak is New Orleans’ first organic bakery and café. Artisan baker Sean O'Mahony combines passion and skill in each creation, making everything by hand, from scratch, and using the finest organic flours. Each bread, pastry and muffin is baked on the premises in open view of the customers in a stone hearth oven. Stop in to the aromatic retail shop and café for fresh sandwiches made on organic breads, house-made soups with local ingredients and lunch pies, such as quiches and cashew ricotta tarts. In addition to being available at their Oak Street location, the bakery’s signature low-gluten sourdough, authentic and organic baguettes, and other breads and pastries, including vegan and gluten-free options, are now available across New Orleans at both area Whole Foods Markets. For more information and to view the vast menu, visit BreadsonOak.com or call 324-8271. Hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

It’s Jingle Bell time at the Commander’s Family of Restaurants, which means you can enjoy lunch at SoBou all December long and get your own jingle bells to take home. Wear them as you stroll around the French Quarter enjoying the holiday sights. Take a go-cup filled with your favorite handcrafted cocktail by esteemed Bar Chef Abigail Gullo. SoBou elevates the adult beverage, a pleasurable accompaniment to a whimsical yet Commander’s-quality meal. The latest venture of the Commander’s family of restaurants, SoBou, short for “South of Bourbon,” offers guests a customizable dining experience, from small plates and drinks to a full three courses. SoBou, recently named one of New Orleans’ Best New Restaurants 2013 by The TimesPicayune, invites guests to try their new winter menu, including sweet potato beignets, smashed red beans with garlic toast and the pork belly fricassee – served on a pineapple cornbread pancake. For more information and reservations, contact SoBou at 552-4095 or online at SoBouNola.com. WAYFAIR

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sobou

Commander’s Palace is known to both locals and visitors as a place to enjoy great food and atmosphere in one of New Orleans most beautiful and historical neighborhoods. With its famous jazz brunch, guests are treated to lively jazz music in a beautiful setting. Complimentary walking maps of the Garden District include historical houses and destinations complete with informative blurbs on each one. What better way to burn off the calories of an unforgettable meal than with a stroll around the picturesque Garden District? Or, stop by Commander’s early for a map, and enjoy a stroll before sitting down to the Chef’s Tasting Menu, created by James Beard Award-winning Chef Tory McPhail. It’s a must to peruse the Grand Awardwinning wine list by “Wine Guy” Dan Davis. Commander’s Palace – it’s what living in New Orleans is all about. For more information and to make reservations, call 899-8221 or visit CommandersPalace.com. A perfect December day in the French Quarter includes unique, boutique shopping, cool weather, holiday cheer and music at every turn. Wander and shop the French Quarter this holiday season and enjoy a festive lunch break at award-winning chef Susan Spicer’s restaurant, Bayona. On certain evenings this month, Bayona opens early (5:30 p.m.) to accommodate diners heading to Saenger Theatre shows such as The Irish Tenors Christmas on Dec. 3, Bonnie Raitt on Dec. 7, Sister Act Dec.17-21, and Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker on Dec. 26. Enjoy a meal and perhaps a relaxing pedi-cab jaunt to the show.

Reservations are currently being accepted for New Years Eve. Limited seating is available. Book early at $90 per person. Bayona is also an inviting spot for family gatherings and private Christmas celebrations for up to 30 guests. For more information on booking a private event, call Regina Keever at 833-1007. For menus, reservations, and additional information, visit Bayona.com or call 5254455. Restaurant cookbooks and gift cards make great holiday gifts. For a uniquely Creole holiday experience, visit The Court of Two Sisters at historic 613 Rue Royale in the French Quarter. In true Creole fashion, this award-winning restaurant will uphold the tradition of the Creole Reveillon holiday meal. This year’s famous Reveillon menu at The Court of Two Sisters begins with Turtle Soup Au Sherry, followed by a salad of Crab Cakes with Creole Mustard Vinaigrette. Entrée choices include Roasted Half Duck served with jalepeño cornbread and asparagus, Blackened Pork with pecan rice pilaf, and Gulf Fish with petite peas, Brabant potatoes, chopped bacon, sliced mushrooms and sautéed shrimp. The menu concludes on a sweet note with a delicious Rum Cake. Coffee and tea are included. The menu runs from Dec. 1-24 for only $45 per person. Return to The Court of Two Sisters on New Year’s Eve and ring in the New Year with a spectacular four-course meal at $75 per person, which includes hors d’oeuvres, soup or salad, entrées such as Braised Lamb Osso Bucco, Grilled Center-Cut Filet and others, as well as dessert.

Call 522-7261 or visit CourtofTwoSisters.com for reservations. Celebrate the season with Deanie’s Seafood’s holiday flavor and delight, with two restaurant locations and a seafood market offering fresh Louisiana seafood and Deanie’s prepared items. Deanie’s in the French Quarter, 841 Iberville St., introduces the Vince Vance Kids Holiday Sing-Along & Dance Party benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. This delightful program features a performance by New Orleans’ premier entertainer Vince Vance, Christmas caroling, games, activities and breakfast with Santa. The restaurant’s festive holiday decorations and private dining rooms make it the perfect venue for celebrating the holidays in the French Quarter. Deanie’s historic Bucktown location, 1713 Lake Ave. in Metairie, offers the same great food with extra local flavor, plus a quaint neighborhood dining room to enjoy barbeque shrimp, oysters on the half shell or a fried seafood platter. You can also enjoy Deanie’s home-cooked flavor during your holiday gathering with their Holiday Take-Home menu, available for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more on Deanie’s, visit Deanies.com. Chef Andrea Apuzzo is proud to announce the grand introduction of a wood-burning oven and rotisserie at Andrea’s Restaurant in Metairie. As known to many, Andrea has nearly 50 years of culinary experience, having worked all around the world before settling in New Orleans to build his life-long dream. Visit Andrea’s and experience the new flavors being added to his revered menu. Andrea’s now serves Lamb, Beef, Pork, Quail and Duckling on the rotisserie fresh daily. Additionally, he is serving up classic homemade pizzas now baked in Andrea’s custom, gourmet woodburning oven. This month, take advantage of Andrea’s yearly four-course Reveillon menu. This year’s menu features starters such as Vitello Tonnato (braised veal with tuna caper sauce), Tortellone All’Anitra (housemade pasta stuffed with duck), and Tomato Mozzarella Caprese. Made with the freshest ingredients, Chef Andrea’s entrées include Roasted Tender Rabbit or Pheasant, Axis Venison, Stuffed Quail, Grilled Beef T-Bone and Fresh Catch of the Day. A dessert of Chestnut Cake served with Nocello Sauce satisfies any sweet tooth. For more information and reservations, call 834-8583 or visit AndreasRestaurant.com.

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Five Happiness, New Orleans’ award-winning Chinese restaurant, offers a delicious menu of Sichuan and Hunan specialties in a newly renovated sleek and elegant dining room. Enjoy the succulent shrimp with honey roasted pecans, General’s Chicken or asparagus sautéed with garlic sauce in a comfortable and unique setting distinguished by its authentic Chinese décor of etched glass and Chinese paintings. The dining room, now split into three rooms, provides a more private dining experience for guests. The well-known and affordable Imperial Room is available at Five Happiness for private parties, receptions or other functions and holds from 50-150 people. Serving options are customized for each party, ranging from sit-down dinners to buffets or cocktails with hors d’oeuvres and prices ranging from $20-$45 per person. For those not wanting to cook during the holidays, Five Happiness happily serves lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For more information, call 482-3935 or visit FiveHappiness.com. One of New Orleans’ favorite family-owned, neighborhood restaurants has resided in the heart of Mid-City since 1947. In the tradition of New Orleans’ Italian heritage, Liuzza’s Restaurant & Bar offers specialties that include the “Frenchuletta” (a robust sandwich filled with Italian meats and seasonings), Italian stuffed artichokes, lasagna and pastas, as well as New Orleans favorites such as po-boys, gumbo and red beans and rice. Italian entrees such as the Eggplant St. John (eggplant medallions and pasta topped with a shrimp and artichoke cream sauce) and the classic Chicken Parmesan with Pasta and Red Gravy have kept families returning to the corner of Bienville and North Telemachus streets for generations. While many choose to wash down a meal with a frozen 18-ounce mug of beer, others opt for the Frozen Bushwhacker, Liuzza’s specialty cocktail made with coffee liqueur, rum and crème de Cacao. Named New Orleans Magazine’s Best Neighborhood Restaurant in 2012, Liuzza’s is open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and for lunch on Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For menus and more, visit Liuzza’s on Facebook or at Liuzzas.com. Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts, new owners of Broussard’s Restaurant, have completed a two-month, $1 million dollar renovation and rejuvenation of the long-standing architectural and culinary gem in the French Quarter. “We are honored to carry on the traditions of excellence that Joe and Rosalie Broussard pas108

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sionately shared with diners,” states Zeid Ammari, Chief Operating Officer of Creole Cuisine. Restoration of the old building, which includes portions of what were once the historic Borello mansion, Jefferson Academy and Hermann-Grima house, is both European and Creole in style, complementing the historic significance of the property. Chef Guy Reinbolt respects the culinary history of Broussard’s while offering a menu with a fresh perspective on the classics, such as Elizabeth’s Sardine Roll Mops, a Traditional Alsatian dish inspired from Chef Guy’s Grandmother Elizabeth; White Corn and Crab Bisque; Broiled Redfish Broussard; Oven Baked Dover Sole, served tableside; and Austrian Stroh Rum Crème Brûlée. The newly named and refreshed Empire Bar offers a Napoleonic themed cocktail menu

and unique renditions of everything from Pimm’s Cup and Cherry Brandy to Nuremberg and English Milk punches. For menus and reservations, visit Broussards.com or call 581-3866. It has been a busy first year for Gracious Bakery + Café. In August they were named “One of America’s Best Bakeries” by Travel + Leisure and will be featured in the upcoming January issue of Food & Wine as well. Their list of specialty sandwiches continues to grow, with fun twists on local favorites like the Pretzelatta, their version of the New Orleans classic served on a house-made pretzel baguette. Operations have expanded to include business catering delivery as well as a list of wholesale clients, including Martin Wine Cellar. During the holiday season, look for treats like Chocolate Babka, Pumpkin Cheesecake and liuzza's

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Gingerbread Muffins. Gracious gift cards are a must for any hostess and a full list of madeto-order holiday cakes and tarts is available on their website: GraciousBakery.com. Located in the ground floor of the Woodward Design + Build headquarters on Jeff Davis Parkway, Gracious is open Monday through Saturday. For more information about holiday ordering or catering, give them a call at 301-3709. After five years of being loved as a top neighborhood lunch and breakfast spot, Gott’s has revamped their look and menu to include appetizer, dinner and dessert offerings. Now named GG’s Dine-O-Rama, GG’s offers “Refined Comfort Food” on a menu that includes past favorite sandwiches and salads while offering new fresh entrées, apps and treats by beloved Chef Dave Gotter. Chef Gotter’s new menu at GG’s will change seasonally. Using the retro “O-Rama” theme, GG’s covers “a little of everything” with their new comprehensive menu and atmosphere of 1950s Magazine Street memorabilia. GG’s will continue Gott’s tradition of holiday brunches from Friday, Dec. 27 through Jan. 1. Brunch is served until 3 p.m. Visit GG’s and experience the new look and new fla-

vors. For more information, call 373-6579 or visit GGsNewOrleans.com. Bells will be ringing this holiday season at Dickie Brennan’s Tableau. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, on picturesque Jackson Square, Tableau offers complimentary jingle bells to all lunch guests throughout the holidays. Between the fantastic food and the festive atmosphere of Jackson Square, Tableau is a must-visit dining destination this season. The culinary team revisits classic New Orleans cooking with a combination of European refinement and rustic simplicity. Using the finest local ingredients, chef Ben Thibodeaux updates classic New Orleans dishes, adjusting them ever-so-slightly to make them signature items at Tableau. One example is his Oysters en Brochette, Gulf oysters broiled on rosemary skewers with a roasted garlic buerre blanc. From a sprawling balcony with views of Jackson Square, to the intimate courtyard and main dining room with an open kitchen view, the ambience at Tableau is unparalleled. Run by Dickie Brennan and sister, Lauren Brennan Brower of the famed New Orleans restaurant family, with their partner Steve Pettus, Tableau serves lunch and dinner daily, brunch on

Saturday and Sunday. Cocktail service and small plates are also available on the balcony. Visit TableauFrenchQuarter.com. Tucked into the quaint confines of Old Metairie, Chateau du Lac Bistro offers a true French experience, one quite unlike the French Creole-inspired restaurants that dot the tourist-laden streets of the French Quarter. Chef Jacques Saleun was born in Brittany, France, where he began training in classical French cuisine at the young age of 15. Having enjoyed success in the world-class kitchens of Paris and New York City, Saleun has made a home in New Orleans with Chateau du Lac Bistro. Exhibiting a quietly elegant atmosphere true to the cuisine, Chateau du Lac is shaded in yellows and blues, colors found in the cafes of Provence. Saleun’s menu features expertly crafted classics such as White Bean Cassoulet with Duck Confit and Seared Foie Gras and Escargots; and Le Steak Frites featuring a Filet Mignon, Pommes Frites, and Sauce Au Poivre or Bearnaise. With attention to detail, freshness and fondness for simplicity, Chef Jacques Saleun and Chateau du Lac Bistro deliver worldclass cuisine with an authentic French touch.

Creole Delicacies Gourmet Shop & Catering Company

Shop our selection of gifts and confections

Street car tin filled with 12 pralines

533 St. Ann St. New Orleans 504-523-6425 Cookincajun.com

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For information and reservations, visit ChateauduLacBistro.com or call 831-3773. For more than 100 years, Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been a staple provider of delicious, locally produced foods, and today, Parkway is known as the go-to place for New Orleans’ signature sandwich – the poor boy. Locally owned since 1911, Parkway has survived major floods and economic shifts, including the Great Depression. This holiday season, make it a yearly tradition to dine with friends and family at one of New Orleans’ most famous and historical sandwich shops. With more than 25 different poor boys, ranging from seafood, sausage, turkey and alligator to their famous slow-cooked roast beef and the original French fry poor boy, there’s a sandwich for any appetite. Situated at the corner of Hagan & Toulouse in Mid-City, right on Bayou St. John, Parkway’s poor boys and ambiance create a dining experience unlike any other. Decorated with memorabilia from Parkway’s early days, the historical neighborhood atmosphere is great for reminiscing with friends and family. Parkway is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and closed on Tuesdays. For more information, visit ParkwayPoorboys.com. Located in the Lower Garden District and just blocks from Downtown New Orleans, Hoshun Restaurant delivers a flavorful punch of pan-Asian flavors with their own take on traditional dishes from China, Japan, Vietnam and other South-Asian countries. Popular menu items include pho soup and Vietnamese spring rolls, pad Thai, sushi, General Tso’s Chicken, Hunan steak, Kung Pao shrimp and more. Open daily until 2 a.m., Hoshun is a favorite late night spot for locals and visitors alike. Visitors can look forward to the addition of sharable small plates to the menu in the near future. Whether you’re looking for seafood, steak or vegetarian fare, Hoshun’s extensive menu provides options for everyone. Salt & Pepper Shrimp and Ahi Tuna Seared are a couple of Hoshun's seafood specialties, while Hoshun Pork Ribs and Butter Pepper Mignon round out a few of the meatier possibilities. For menu and information, visit HoshunRestaurant.com or call 302-9716. Located at 1601 St. Charles Ave., Hoshun offers a private party room overlooking the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line fitting between 25-70 people. A pub-style, family-friendly restaurant with an expansive outdoor patio/courtyard, Warehouse Grille in the CBD satisfies diners looking to kick back with friends as well as for families looking for a fun, casual night out.

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The menu, designed by Chef Donald Julien, takes New Orleans pub grub up a notch with creative dishes such as the Lamb Spring Rolls appetizer – lamb and vegetables stuffed inside spring rolls and served with a homemade apple mint sauce – and the Tuna St. Julien small plate – medium rare tuna filet served with julienne vegetables and topped with a poblano rouille and a side of Crystal butter. “My personal favorite is the Eggplant Napoleon,” says Julien. The savory not-so-small plate is composed of layered fried eggplant with an eggplant stuffing, topped with shrimp and a roasted red pepper sabayon sauce. Warehouse Grille features 40 beers on tap, daily specials and brunch on weekends. Parents looking for a lively weekend dinner spot are more than welcome to bring the kids. Additionally, Warehouse Grille provides a great central location for private and catered events, holiday parties and more. For menus and info, visit WarehouseGrille.com. Situated on historic River Road in Old Jefferson is one of New Orleans’ best-kept secrets, which isn’t really a secret anymore. Recently featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Driveins and Dives, The Rivershack Tavern has made its way into the national spotlight in all of its beloved quirkiness.

HOSHUN

Described as everything from a honky-tonk to a neighborhood tavern, small-town restaurant and sports bar, this one-of-a-kind local gem brings more than meets the eye, and there’s a lot to meet the eye as well as the ear! With walls covered in fascinating local memorabilia and bar stools that resemble human legs, the atmosphere is lively and colorful. Live music from a variety of New Orleans artists delivers a side of entertainment to accompany the “Shack’s” culinary creativity on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Enjoy acoustic acts with Monday Red Beans and lively bands to get you dancing on weekends. In recent years, owner Donnie Thomas and chef Mike Baskind have done little to change the eclectic nature of this decades-old restaurant, but through subtle touches here and there, Rivershack has achieved a New Orleans charm all its own. Visit TheRivershackTavern.com. Come in from the cold this month and experience Chophouse New Orleans. Locals and tourists alike have been thrilled by their refreshingly uncomplicated menu, awarding them with Opentable Diners’ Choice. Indulge in the chilled Carpaccio, expertly broiled Filet Mignon, Bone-in Rib Eye or a monster 40oz. Porterhouse for two. The USDA Prime-only menu also offers notable seafood selections, such as fresh Florida stone crabs – served cold,

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the succulent and juicy claws are accompanied with a special house sauce. This holiday season, Chophouse welcomes guests during regular hours on Christmas Eve (5 -10 p.m.), Christmas Day (noon-8 p.m.), and on New Year’s Eve, join in the celebration at Chophouse with a four-course meal paired with a bottle of champagne (5 p.m.-2 a.m.). Settle in to the dynamic sophistication of the restaurant or dine outside in the beautifully lit and heated courtyard in the cool of a winter night. Live entertainment nightly complements an already decadent dining experience. Chophouse New Orleans opens daily at 5 p.m. and offers complimentary valet parking. Visit Chophouse on the Web at chophousenola.com or Facebook.com/chophousenola for menu and reservations, or call 522-7902. Rouses’ team of professional chefs worked in some of the finest restaurants in the country, and they use the very best of what’s fresh and what’s local to make Rouses prepared foods and desserts. This holiday season, leave everything to Rouses, and you’ll have more time to spend with friends and family. Rouses’ new chef-inspired appetizers, entrées, dress-

ings and complete holiday meals capture the true flavors of Louisiana. In the bakery, look for seasonal favorites like pecan, apple and sweet potato pies and cream pies. Of course, it’s also fun to share the cooking with family, especially when you’re using the local ingredients we all love. Rouses has Louisiana oysters for your dressing, wild-caught Louisiana shrimp for your mirliton casserole, Louisiana blue crabs for your gumbo, and locally grown sweet potatoes, rice and pecans for your side dishes and desserts. Find your local Rouses by visiting shop.rouses.com. For more than 170 years, Antoine’s Restaurant has been making holiday history in the heart of the French Quarter, serving French-Creole cuisine with excellent service in an inviting comfortable setting. With 14 unique dining rooms, each offering its own historical charm, it’s no wonder Antoine’s has served guests such as General Patton, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, President Roosevelt and more. This month, visit Antoine’s for a special holiday brunch. The special $31.00 brunch includes a complimentary mimosa and your choice of a Crab Cake or Fresh Spring Salad

appetizer, an entrée of either Poached Egg Cochon or Soft Shell Crab Florentine, and a decadent dessert of Classic Cheesecake topped with a rich Sauce du Jour. The threecourse brunch is available for groups of 15 or less and is exclusive of tax, gratuity and additional alcohol. A very special guest will be greeting brunch goers and their families on certain days – Santa Claus will be on hand to greet guests Dec. 15, 20 and 22. For more info or reservations, visit Antoines.com or call 581-4422. Celebrate Christmas during December at Rio Mar and spend your night opening gifts – their four-course Regalos de Navidad menu (“Christmas Presents”) playfully addresses the holidays by featuring four dishes enclosed as a present in one form or another. Three courses utilize edible coverings while one course takes a lift-and-surprise approach. The menu includes Ceviche de Flor, Ruby Red Trout, Banana Leaf Tamale and House Made Turron Alicante, all for a set price of $44 per person (entire table only and exclusive of tax and gratuity). Special cocktails will be available a la carte alongside the menu.

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Originally a Spanish-themed seafood restaurant, Rio Mar has gradually transitioned from European cuisine to that of South and Central America under the helm of Chef Miles Prescott, who highlights the connection of New Orleans cuisine to that of the Caribbean and South & Central American countries such as Cuba, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Columbia and Puerto Rico. Celebrate New Years Eve at Rio Mar this year! Reservations are recommended. For more information and hours, visit RioMarSeafood.com or call 525-FISH (3474).

Ent ert a i n m e n t & A c c o m m o d at io n s New Orleans’ own Janessa Touchet, a star with the Cincinnati Ballet, and dance partner, Cervilio Amador, a principal dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet, perform as guest artists in Delta Festival Ballet’s 32nd Annual Nutcracker. Ms. Touchet, an alumna of the Giacobbe Academy of Dance, performed in Delta Festival Ballet and New Orleans Youth Ballet productions before joining the Cincinnati Ballet. Acclaimed by critics and fans, she brings glamour and a stellar performance to the New Orleans stage. Artistic Directors Joseph Giacobbe and Maria Giacobbe are proud to welcome her home. Delta’s Nutcracker, accompanied by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, is a lavish professional production with a cast of 130 dancers, 175 beautiful costumes, elaborate sets and superb dancing by the company’s professional artists. Performances take place Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 21 and 22 at 2 p.m. at Tulane's Dixon Hall. Call 8880931 for ticket information or purchase online at DeltaFestivalBallet.com. New Orleans is a city with a magical feel, and the character and traditions of the historic French Quarter make walking tours a popular and affordable way for visitors to enjoy the city. French Quarter Phantoms is New Orleans’ Premier Walking Tour Company. Offering a variety of unique, entertaining and historically accurate tour options year round makes French Quarter Phantoms the perfect choice for locals and visitors to the city. French Quarter Phantoms’ Master Storytellers have been described as “the strangest bunch of real historians you’ll ever have the pleasure of spending time with!” Their signature tour, the French Quarter Phantoms Ghost & Vampire Tour, features phantoms and the hovering mysteries of past tragedies. They thrill guests with laughs and chills up their spine, but nobody jumps out to pinch them and the tour is appropriate for all ages. 112

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Bring the whole family for a unique holiday outing. Their fun and affordable tours have something in them for everyone. Visit FrenchQuarterPhantoms.com for more. Enjoy warm, indoor family fun this winter season with a trip to Thibodaux’s newest family destination, the Bayou Country Children’s Museum. An educational museum disguised in fun and adventure, the Bayou Country Children’s Museum offers signature exhibits that include a Sugar Cane Harvester climbing structure and Sugar Cane Maze, an Alligator Mardi Gras Float, The Grand Old Oak (toddler reading area), a Duck Blind for spotting local water fowl and plenty more. The Cajun Cottage restaurant exhibit features regional fare while the Bayou Boogie exhibit provides a hands-on opportunity to play Cajun musical instruments. Full of Cajun flair, the museum offers visitors increased knowledge of bayou country and the Cajun way of life. The museum is designed for children ages 2-12 and offers a unique learning environment outside the classroom. Open year round, the Bayou Country Children’s Museum offers party rooms that can be booked for birthdays and other celebrations. For more information, visit BayouCountryChildrensMuseum.org. You’re making memories, and ViP School Bus would love to be a part of it! ViP School Bus has become a staple of the New Orleans community with their fun-first, business-later approach to clients. The company’s founder, David Jeansonne, developed a series of custom school buses fully loaded with the same amenities of the finest limousines.

Just as sitcoms are out and reality shows are in, limousines needed something to take their place. While limos are overly formal, and school buses are insane fun, why not combine the best of both worlds? Step onto one of the ViP School Buses and you’ll immediately embrace the concept: the handcrafted interior is plush and comfortable with more than six feet of headroom and seating up to 15. These buses are like nothing you’ve ever experienced, serving guests of all ages for everything from a night on the town to the next-generation wedding. As they always say, “Riding the bus has never been this much fun!” Visit VipSchoolBus.com or call 846-9968 for more information. Royal Sonesta Hotel in the Quarter is decked out for the holidays for you and your family to enjoy. Festivities begin Dec. 3 with the “Lighting of the Balconies.” Open to the public, the event features music, holiday characters and more. Book your reservations now for a “Royal Teddy Bear Tea.” This holiday tradition with story time and sing-alongs with Santa features appearances by the New Orleans “Saintsations.” Reserve early for chefs Folse and Tramonto’s award-winning “Restaurant Revolution.” Toast the holidays here and learn why R’evolution is among Condé Nast’s ‘Top 70 Restaurants in the World.” Spend New Year’s Eve with Grammy Award-winner Irvin Mayfield and his starstudded lineup for live Jazz at its best. Enjoy casual dining at Desire Bistro & Oyster Bar or pop into P.J.’s Coffee Café for locally roasted brews daily. royal sonesta

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Sonesta Papa Noel rates from $149 per night make holidays joyful. For details visit sonesta.com/royalneworleans. For more than 165 years, The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa has been known throughout the South as “The Queen of Southern Resorts,” and it never looks better than during the holidays. From massive live oaks covered in lights to the giant gingerbread replica of the resort, come take a holiday escape to the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala. Breakfast with Santa is held each Saturday prior to Christmas. From reindeer tuck-ins to shopping in Fairhope, to spectacular meals, Grand holidays are an easy drive on Interstate 10. The Grand Hotel is an AAA Four DiamondAward winner and has been honored recently as a top resort by CondeNast Traveler and Travel + Leisure. The Grand boasts two Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail courses, a 20,000-square-foot European-style spa, indoor and outdoor feature pools and tennis. To make your holidays Grand, visit MarriottGrand.com or call 251-928-9201. When visiting Houston during the holidays, location is everything. The Houston Galleria is truly a one-stop-shop for holiday purchases and family fun. It’s all within walking distance

grand hotel marriott resort golf club & spa

from what’s been described as the “Jewel of the Galleria Area”, the Hilton Garden Inn, located at 3201 Sage Road. This highly rated hotel offers just what travelers are looking for in the holiday season. Walk half a block to the world-renowned Galleria mall or take the hotel’s complimentary shuttle to any of the city’s award winning restaurants within a three-mile radius of the hotel. Don’t miss out on the Galleria’s spectacular 55-foot tall Christmas tree twinkling with 450,000 lights and 5,000 sparkling ornaments. Take some time to relax near

the fireplace in the hotel’s cozy lobby with a cup of complimentary hot cocoa. Make sure to try the HGI’s delicious breakfast buffet in the morning before departing – it’s the best in the Galleria. Visit the hotel’s website, HoustonGalleriaArea.hgi.com, for great rates, packages and promotions. Book your holiday vacation today. Located in the heart of New Orleans’ Arts District and within easy walking distance to the French Quarter, The Hotel Modern New Orleans is a must-visit destination for sophisticated travelers. Understanding the spirit of the

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holidays in New Orleans is about celebrating with friends and family, The Hotel Modern greets guests with a complimentary holidayinspired cocktail and escorts them to their room as if they were staying at a close friend’s guesthouse – there is no front desk or lengthy check-in process. The Hotel offers rates starting at $79* through the month of December as part of the city’s Papa Noel tradition. The 135 guest rooms at The Hotel Modern were designed with an eclectic aesthetic that mirrors New Orleans’ juxtaposition of Old World charm with New World diversity. The Hotel Modern goes beyond the basics, offering an array of cultural amenities, such as curated books in every room and their new, full-service restaurant, Tivoli & Lee. The Hotel Modern’s lounge, Bellocq, takes its name from historic New Orleans photographer E.J. Bellocq. Esquire Magazine named it one of the Best Bars in America in 2013. For information and reservations, visit TheHotelModern.com.

Commu n i ty & W e lln e s s While the holidays are a time of joy for many, they can also trigger depressive symptoms and anxiety in others. Dealing with difficult family members, busy schedules and magnified loneliness or financial issues can leave some people overwhelmed and frustrated. At Behavioral Health Counseling & Consulting, Sharon Heno provides support and practical feedback to help clients navigate through difficult times and the added stress holidays may bring. Through therapy, Heno’s team develops strategies personalized to you, the individual, to get you back on track and moving forward in life. Consulting and coaching services are available to those needing support in motivation, organization and decision-making. Ms. Heno's work with individuals is person-centered; she meets clients where they are and collaborates with them as they move past obstacles in their lives. She has served on crisis teams as a trauma specialist working with victims of trauma due to grief, loss or violence. Ms. Heno also works with local hospitals and community centers offering supportive services to individuals and families with degenerative and terminal illnesses. For more information, visit BehavioralHealthCNC.net or call 975-5104. This holiday season, Touro offers “Easy Tips for Healthy Family Cooking - Touro Nutritionist Approved!”

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First, try to incorporate vegetables into all of your family meals. Veggies are filling and are packed with fiber and essential nutrients. Fresh is best, but keep some of the family favorites frozen as back up. Consider cooking two meals in one night and eating the leftovers the following evening. This way, you can enjoy a healthy, homecooked meal without the trouble of cooking/ cleaning every night. There are other lean meats beside poultry: try lean ground beef, pork loin, fish, eye of round roast or center cut pork chops. A crock pot can be a busy parent’s best friend. Throw in a lean meat and fresh herbs, let it cook (untouched) for 7 hours on low and voila – a healthy, hassle-free home-cooked meal! Pair it with a healthy grain and vegetables and dinner is served. Want to know more about making healthy food choices? Join a Touro nutritionist for free grocery store tours. Visit touro.com/events to register. Crescent City Physicians is pleased to welcome Jamie Sias, M.D., to their Obstetrics and Gynecology team. Dr. Jamie Sias is excited to join Crescent City Physicians and looks forward to providing compassionate and quality OB/GYN care. A graduate of Xavier University New Orleans, Dr. Sias completed her medical training and residency at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans. She is accepting new patients at Crescent City Physicians’ Mid-City and St. Claude locations. Have you scheduled your yearly exam yet for 2014? Put your health first, and take a moment during this busy season to schedule an appointment for the coming year. For more information or to schedule an appointment please call one of her offices: MidCity (4000 Bienville St., Suite B) at 252-9488 or St. Claude (3322 St. Claude Ave.) at 947-7754. When private duty care becomes necessary for any individual, Gifted Nurses is available to assist at any time, with only the best caregivers to assist you and your family in time of need. Since 2006, Gifted Nurses has provided in-home health care for families and patients throughout New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. Gifted Nurses provides specially selected, highly trained caregivers whom are notably appreciative of having the ability to serve their clients and provide worry-free assurance to clients’ families and loved ones. To care for clients’ medical and non-medical needs, whether short-term or long-term, Gifted Nurses continues to staff the best Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified

Nursing Assistants and Sitters. Gifted Nurses is owned and operated by nurses with more than 100 years of combined experience. For more information on private care services or to schedule a free in-home assessment, call 8312123 or visit them online at GiftedNurses.com. Founded in 1929, Metairie Park Country Day School believes that today’s world demands more than a traditional education; it demands the values and practices that have made Country Day unique since its inception. An innovative, hands-on approach teaches Pre-K through grade 12 students how to think creatively and independently as they tackle an expansive, rigorous curriculum. High academic standards and expectations of personal accountability are sustained by a nurturing community, a low student-to-teacher ratio, robust athletics and outstanding creative arts programs. The Country Day faculty focus on individual achievement through depth of inquiry rather than mere recitation of facts, and ensure that every child’s educational experience is exceptional. The successes of the school's graduates in college and beyond are testimony to the curiosity, involvement and creativity engendered by the Country Day philosophy and community. Visit an Admission Open House or e-mail admissions@mpcds.com for a private tour, Monday-Friday. Kindergarten-Fifth Grade Open House Jan. 16. Visit mpcds.com for more. Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans (PRC) was founded in 1974 as a nonprofit organization to promote the preservation, restoration and revitalization of New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods. The organization has helped renovate more than 1,000 homes citywide by involving citizens in preservation projects and services that enhance living in New Orleans. PRC provides resources and education to convey the economic, cultural and aesthetic importance of historic preservation in New Orleans and throughout the world. PRC has several education programs, such as first-time homebuyer training and monthly homebuyer and renovation workshops, as well as numerous outreach efforts. Operation Comeback buys, repairs and sells blighted property. Rebuilding Together helps renovate homes for the elderly and handicapped. The African-American Heritage Program identifies homes where early New Orleans jazz legends lived. PRC also produces an award-winning magazine, Preservation in Print. To learn more about the PRC’s preservation efforts and their 40th anniversary celebration, visit prcno.org or call 581-7032.

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1. Adler's Exclusive Waterford Golden Crystal Fleur-de-Lys Designed exclusively for Adler's, this golden-hued crystal Fleur-de-Lys adds warmth to your holiday tree. Celebrate life's milestones with annual favorites from Waterford Crystal. The Fleur-de-Lys is a stunning reminder of New Orleans traditions. Keep your holliday traditions allive with us and this beautifully crafted crystal ornament. $65.00

2. Allie Pierson, Independent Stylist, Stella & Dot 504.722.6058 | stelladot.com/alliep

Allie has been in the fashion industry for years, and she encourages you to consider the runway trends that Stella & Dot has translated beautifully into their holiday collection - gorgeous statement pieces, scarves, stunning bags and tech accessories...something for everyone and every budget. Call Allie to inquire about getting over $250 in free product. Shop. Host. Join her team.

3. Andrea's Restaurant Catering 3100 19th St. at Ridgelake | Metairie 504.834.8583 | andreasrestaurant.com Buy a $100 gift certificate, get a copy of "My Home is your Home" Cookbook, $39.95 Value Book Your Holiday Party Now, for any Special occasion. Come visit Royal Andrea's NEW wood-burning pizza oven and rotisserie serving fresh gourmet pizza, prime rib, lamb and rotisserie chicken.

4. Auraluz 4408 Shores Drive | Metairie 504.888.3313 | shopauraluz.com LAMPE BERGER...the perfect gift! It’s both decorative and functional. Made in France for over 115 years, each Lampe Berger cleanses, purifies and fragrances the air. Over 120 styles of lamps and 50 fragrances to choose from including the newest fall fragrance...Provence Treats.

5. Boudreaux’s Jewelers 701 Metairie Road | Metairie | 504.831.2602 4550 Highway 22 | Mandeville | 985.626.1666 7280 Corporate Blvd. | Baton Rouge | 225.928.6868 boudreauxsjewelers.com Celebrating 80 years, Boudreaux’s Jewelers proudly represents many quality watch and jewelry designers, as well as providing custom-designed and manufactured creations. Our fine craftsmen and professional staff can help you find the precious gift that will find its way through generations.

6. Creole Delicacies 533 St. Ann St. New Orleans 504.523.6425 | cookincajun.com This cute black and gold fleur-de-lis tin is filled with delicious cheese biscuits. These crunchy, bite-sized biscuits are made with a blend of aged cheddar cheese and fancy pecans. Perfect for anyone on your holiday list. We also offer custom gift baskets.

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7. Cristy Cali 504.377.9575 | cristycali.com Cristy Cali’s Magnolia pendant makes a great gift for any Louisiana lady. As one of her most popular and original designs, Cristy captures the essence of Louisiana heritage in this fine sterling silver piece. Visit the website to find a retailer near you.

8. Cristy Cali | Adlers What better way to celebrate Fall than with Cristy Cali's sterling silver pinecone earrings? Available in post or dangle, they can be found at any Adler's location or online at www.cristycali.com

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9. Edible Arrangements 1650 Gretna Blvd., Suite 5 | Harvey 504.367.7798 Our Christmas holiday collection is filled with bright & beautiful gifts for everyone on your list. Choose the perfect gift from dozens of festive winter fruit bouquets with all your favorite holiday pineapple shapes, gourmet chocolate & more. Add a touch of delicious elegance to your holiday celebrations with our Elegance Platters filled with fresh strawberries covered in gourmet chocolate, beautifully arranged on a keepsake platter.

10. Fleur d' Orléans 3701A Magazine St. | New Orleans

504.899.5585 | fleurdorleans.com

Make someone’s holiday sparkle with these beautiful Sterling Silver & Swarovski Crystal earrings. Just one of the many pieces by the designers at Fleur d’ Orléans.Come see our collections of sterling silver, gems earrings and hand woven textiles

11. GNO Cyclery

1426 S. Carrolton Ave. | New Orleans

Super Six EVO Hi-Mod TEAM CANNONDALE, SRAM Red 22 Components with Race Proven Carbon frame and form Weight on the bike is 13.8LBS retail price $8999.99.

12. The Historic New Orleans Collection’s Museum Shop

533 Royal St. | New Orleans 504.598.7147 | hnoc.org/shop

The Shop at The Collection now carries the jewelry of China Baroque, a small Houston-based company that creates contemporary pieces with repurposed vintage china. Holly necklace shown has a 1.5-inch pendant on a 16-inch chain and retails for $110.

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13. Martin Wine Cellar martinwine.com Martin Wine Cellar is making gift giving easy this year. Choose from a selection of over 20 wine and food gifts ranging from $25 to $400 dollars, available in stores or online for shipping to over 39 states. View gifts at martinwine.com and let us help you choose the perfect gift this season.

14. Mary's Kitchen & Bath

732 N. Rampart St. | 504.529.4465

Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has all the culinary tools and gadgets for the foodie on your list. Premium knives by WĂźsthof, Shun, or Zwilling JA Henckels are perfect for both the aspiring chef or the home cook. Stop in and find great gifts for your top chef. Located on the second floor above Mary's Ace Hardware. Free parking available.

15. The Silver Collar Pet Boutique

101 Metairie Road | 504.835.4266 msah.com

Creative tees from Dog Is Good are perfect for pet lovers. Pet themed quips add to these colorful tees including Your Dog Doesn't Know Sit, I Like Big Mutts and more. Tees available at The Silver Collar Pet Boutique, located inside Metairie Small Animal Hospital.

16. Oil & Vinegar

6111 Pinnacle Parkway | Covington 985.809.1693 | louisiana.oilandvinegarusa.com

Come visit our Culinary Gift Shop featuring on-tap oils and vinegars, as well as other edible delights from around the world! Order online or call the store directly. Complimentary gift wrapping and FREE local delivery for Holiday Gifts!

17. PERLIS Clothing

Our signature Crawfish logo first appeared on a polo shirt in the 1970s and has since become a classic South Louisiana icon for fine clothing. 100% cotton pique full cut for comfort with banded sleeves, ribbed collar and two button placket... the PERLIS polo comes in a variety of colors and makes a great and easy gift.

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18. Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group

550 Bienville St. | New Orleans | neworleans-food.com

Treat your favorite foodie to the award-winning Ralph Brennan’s "New Orleans Seafood Cookbook." This lush 432-page volume includes 170 triple-tested recipes, 143 color photographs, a Seafood Cook’s Manual, seafood and wine pairing suggestions and comprehensive ingredients sourcing. It’s a must for every cookbook collection!

19. Royal Antiques

309 Royal St. | New Orleans 504.524.7033 | royalantiques.com

Just arrived: new shipments from England and France. Fine antique country and formal furniture, mirrors, chandeliers, decorative accessories, and antique and estate jewelry.

20. Saint Germain The Shops at Canal Place 333 Canal St. | New Orleans 504.522.1720

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Accompanying Saint Germain’s Donald J Pliner and Arche shoe collection, plush handbags and jewelry, French hair accessories are a must to have or give as a gift. Visit Saint Germain in Canal Place, second Level, 504.522.1720. Watch for Holiday Hours in December.

21. Sucré: A Sweet Boutique 3025 Magazine St. | New Orleans | 504.520.8311 3301 Veterans Blvd. | Metairie | 504.834.2277 shopsucre.com

Give Sucré this holiday season. French Macarons, artisan chocolates, gelato, king cakes, and beautiful pastries are all hand made in small batches here in New Orleans. Open Sun.-Thurs. 8am-10am and Fri-Sat 8am-midnight.

22. The Sweet Palate, A Collections of Confectionary Brands & Desserts

519 St. Louis St. 504.522.5150 | thesweetpalate.com

Highlighting New Orleans' Spanish & French cultural influences, The Sweet Palate presents the chocolate collection of World Champion, Oriol Balaguer, Dandoy Biscuits, Ferber Jams, as well as our petite dessert cakes & gelato. Our European confections are perfect for gift giving. Open daily 10am-7pm.

23. Symmetry Jewelers

8138 Hampson Street | New Orleans 800.628.3711 | symmetryjewelers.com

This incredible east African bright green 1.94 carat tsavorite garnet ring joins a growing collection of Tom Mathis right hand and engagement rings utilizing rare and collectible precious gem stones from around the world. The new creations are available in both contemporary and vintage styles.

24. Therapeutic Shoes 408 Maine St. | Jefferson 504.832.3933 Give yourself the gift of comfort this holiday season. We specialize in custom accommodative foot orthotics, stylish extra depth shoes, diabetic shoes, custom shoes, shoe modifications and compression wear. Call us today to schedule an appointment!

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25. Trashy Diva 537 Royal St. | New Orleans 2048 Magazine St. | New Orleans trashydiva.com Toast the season with vintage and retro inspired clothing, shoes, and lingerie from Trashy Diva. Our professional stylist will help you add timeless and classic style to your holiday ensembles and gifts.

26. Wehmeier's

The Shops at Canal Place 333 Canal St. | 2nd Level 504.681.2082 | wehmeiers.com

Now second generation family-owned, Wehmeier's remains true to its alligator accessories heritage while expanding offerings for women in boots, fur and exotic leather bracelets.

27. Wellington and Company 505 Royal St. | New Orleans 504.525.4855 Round-cut Sapphire and Diamond Ring.

28. West Jeff's Gift Shop

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Last Minute Holiday Shopping? Check-Out West Jeffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gift Shop. The West Jefferson Hospital Gift Shop is the best kept secret on the Westbank. We have a Pantry Shop with gourmet chocolates, pastries and cakes. Our Shop also has holiday gifts, home decor, candles, baby items, toys, assorted gift baskets and more. For store hours, call 504.349.1124. Store Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8:00am7:00pm | Wednesday & Friday 6:30am-7:00pm Saturday Noon-5:00pm | Sunday - Closed

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A Day in the Sweet Life Notes from the Oven

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Leidenheimer loaf certainly still has a place on New Orleans tables, as poor boy bread or to sop up a buttery barbecue shrimp sauce, a slew of bakeries are popping up around town specializing in the denser baguette. These small, French-style bakeries are in almost every neighborhood at this point, and more are sure to pop up. One of the bakeries that was on the forefront of this trend is Gracious Bakery + Café (GraciousBakery.com), and they offer classes that give aspiring bakers and sweets enthusiasts alike an opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of a local bakery. More often the bakery, which sells breads, lunch fare and a selection of both gorgeous and delicious pastries and sweets, offers baguette-making classes. But during November it offered a series of holiday-themed classes that covered sweet doughs used to make cinnamon rolls, sweet and savory brioches, babka (a Polish sweet cake) and challah (Jewish braided bread). The class I attended, which seemed to consist of equal parts interested home cooks and bakers from another local sweet shop looking to hone their craft, watched as co-owner Megan Roen Forman, whose husband Jay Forman writes for this magazine, and her baking team detailed the processes involved in crafting each sweet. I fell somewhere in the middle – somewhat interested in baking but more so interested in eating. The class certainly wasn’t dumbed down; recipes used grams and percentages and other things that might be confusing to the inexperienced baker who may have incorrectly been using wet measuring cups for baking this whole time (oops). Class participation was mostly confined to rolling brioche balls and braiding challah – which is harder than it looks. The best part is you can walk away from these classes with all manner of treats. Participants of the holiday class walked away not only with what they helped make in the class, but

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also loaves of the bakery’s unsold bread – for this particular class, it was quite a haul. Gracious will offer other classes in the future; check their Facebook page for updates (Facebook.com/GraciousBakery). The price for the holiday class was $50, but depending on the ingredients used, prices range from $30 to $60 per person. I left the class full, enlightened after seeing how a top-notch bakery functions, but ultimately deciding that baking is a science requiring more time and patience than I have – which is why I’m glad there’s a wealth of talented bakers in this city to do that for me.

La Fourche events offer a slice of Louisiana Life La Fourche Parish, VisitLaFourche.com

If you really want to indulge in some Louisiana culture, look into some of the events occurring in La Fourche Parish. As one of the 19 original parishes created from the territories of New Orleans in 1807, La Fourche offers visitors ways to taste, smell and experience Louisiana life and its history. On Monday nights there are free Cajun Music Jam Sessions, on Tuesdays Fun & French, where people speak French and play traditional French card games, and on Saturdays there’s a central market where local farmers, fishermen and artisans sell their wares. There is also a Christmas Parade in Lockport on Dec. 7 that Santa is scheduled to attend. – M i r e l l a c a m e r a n

Health

Associated Hearing offers latest technology

Associated Hearing: Metairie 833-4327; Northshore (985) 249-5225; AssociatedHearingInc.com

Associated Hearing, a full service audiology practice in Metairie, has recently renovated its offices to showcase its state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. The update also creates a relaxed, friendly and comfortable environment for patients to find the right solutions to their hearing needs. The practice’s cutting-edge approach includes providing hearing aids with advanced Bluetooth technology, which enables patients to hear better on the telephone, in restaurants, during meetings and at family gatherings. Associated Hearing focuses on enabling patients to reconnect with family and associates and communicate more easily in social situations. – M . C . myneworleans.com

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Christmas in Bastogne

B Y ERR O L LA B O R D E n t h e B e l g i a n t o w n of B a s t ogn e t h e r e i s a C h i n e s e

restaurant named Cite Wok located not far from the town square. At first glance it looks pretty much like any buffet place anywhere in the world, except for a plaque on its front wall. Bastogne is an ancient city, but most of its history that’s still talked about traces back to Christmas of 1944, as does the writing on the plaque. At that site there was a military aid station to which the wounded from the Battle of the Bulge were evacuated. During the evening of Dec. 24, 1944, the bronze letters on the plaque explains, “over 30 U.S. wounded and 1 volunteer Belgian nurse (Renee LeMaire) were instantly killed by a German Bomb.” There is an episode in the HBO series “Band of Brothers” based on LeMaire, who is now remembered as “The angel of Bastogne.” In it she befriended an Army medic from Louisiana. They shared the French language and war stories. That Christmas he drove to the aid station and found it in shambles. Within the rubble he discovered her headscarf. My father was at the Battle of the Bulge. He was from Louisiana. He spoke French. He was a medic. He would also frequently speak of Bastogne. There is no evidence though that he was the soldier who visited Renee LeMaire; more likely his experience was similar to thousands of young men trapped in the Ardennes Forest during one of the coldest winters on record. He loved the holidays, especially when he could look back at the Christmas of 1944 from a distance. Bastogne was critical to the battle because it was a crossroads town; whoever controlled it controlled the roads to the port at Antwerp. Bastogne would also be the setting of one of the war’s most celebrated stories: The American force, the 101 Airborne, was headquartered at a Belgian Army base in town. At the battle’s worst moment Bastogne was totally surrounded by the German army. An envoy was sent by the German General asking U.S. General Anthony McAuliffe to surrender. Hearing the demand McAuliffe muttered to himself, “nuts.” Told by his subordinates that he would have to issue a formal reply, McAuliffe searched for words. One of his aides suggested his earlier statement. And so it was, the word “nuts” was sent back to the German general. Fortunately, for posterity’s sake, the response was noted by a war correspondent who reported it back to America. For days the situation was bleak, but then the fog lifted. American planes were able to drop supplies. A tank force commanded by General George Patton broke through the enemy encirclement. Back home, McAuliffe’s defiant response made headlines across the country. Today, near the room where McAuliffe made his reply, there are pictures from the war including a bit of Christmas spirit from when a Jeep carried Père Noel through Bastogne. Next year will be the 70th anniversary of the Bulge as well as the events in Bastogne. The town center, now known as McAuliffe Square, is surrounded, not by Nazi tanks but ice cream shops and cafes. A bust of the General overlooks the outbreak of peace. Most tourists are oblivious to the plaque at nearby Cite Wok. They don’t know that at that site one Christmas Eve, Bastogne got its own angel. 136

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